The Journey Through Female Circumcision

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is the ritual removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. Typically carried out by a traditional circumciser with a blade or razor, with or without anaesthesia, FGM is concentrated in 27 countries in Africa, as well as in Yemen and Iraqi Kurdistan, and practised to a lesser extent elsewhere in Asia and among diaspora communities around the world. The age at which it is conducted varies from days after birth to puberty; in half the countries for which national figures are available, most girls are cut before the age of five. The procedures differ according to the ethnic group. They include removal of the clitoral hood and clitoris, and in the most severe form (known as infubulation) removal of the inner and outer labia and closure of the vulva; in this last procedure, a small hole is left for the passage of urine and menstrual blood, and the vagina is opened for intercourse and childbirth. Health effects depend on the procedure, but can include recurrent infections, chronic pain, cysts, an inability to get pregnant, complications during childbirth and fatal bleeding. There are no known health benefits. The practice is rooted in gender inequality, attempts to control women’s sexuality, and ideas about purity, modesty and aesthetics. It is initiated and usually carried out by women, who see it as a source of honour, and who fear that failing to have their daughters and granddaughters cut will expose the girls to social exclusion. Over 125 million women and girls have experienced FGM in the 29 countries in which it is concentrated. Over eight million have been infibulated, a practice found largely in Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan. FGM has been outlawed or restricted in most of the countries in which it occurs, but the laws are poorly enforced. There have been international efforts since the 1970s to persuade practitioners to abandon it, and in 2012 the United Nations General Assembly, recognizing FGM as a human-rights violation, voted unanimously to intensify those efforts. The opposition is not without its critics, particularly among anthropologists. Reuters photographer Siegfried Modola captured this ceremony in rural Kenya for four teenage girls of the Pokot tribe, in Baringo County. The pictures show frightened girls lined up before villagers in Kenya to be circumcised – even though the brutal practice is now illegal in the country. Tearful: One of the young girls, covered in an animal skin, cries after being circumcised. The practice was outlawed three years ago

Frightened: Four young Pokot girls stand outside one of the girl’s homes just before the beginning of their circumcision ceremony

Adorned: After the ceremony, the girls, now covered in animal skins and beaded necklaces, walk to where they will rest after the tribal ritual

Painted: After the ritual, the girls faces are painted white to show they have been circumcised and transitioned into womanhood

Scared: One girl, after her ceremony, walks to a resting place covered in an animal skin in the remote village of Pokot in Baringo County

Tradition: Despite a government ban on the practice, circumcision remains a rite of passage, particularly among poor families in rural areas

Smeared: Village elders cover a young girl’s face in white paint after she is circumcised, a requirement for young girls before they can marry

Rampant: More than a quarter of women in Kenya have been circumcised, despite the government making the practice illegal in 2011

Naked: Draped in animal skins, the Pokot girls sit naked on rocks before village elders perform the ritual

ey Through Female Circumcision Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is the ritual removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. Typically carried out by a traditional circumciser with a blade or razor, with or without anaesthesia, FGM is concentrated in 27 countries in Africa, as well as in Yemen and Iraqi Kurdistan, and practised to a lesser extent elsewhere in Asia and among diaspora communities around the world. The age at which it is conducted varies from days after birth to puberty; in half the countries for which national figures are available, most girls are cut before the age of five. The procedures differ according to the ethnic group. They include removal of the clitoral hood and clitoris, and in the most severe form (known as infubulation) removal of the inner and outer labia and closure of the vulva; in this last procedure, a small hole is left for the passage of urine and menstrual blood, and the vagina is opened for intercourse and childbirth. Health effects depend on the procedure, but can include recurrent infections, chronic pain, cysts, an inability to get pregnant, complications during childbirth and fatal bleeding. There are no known health benefits. The practice is rooted in gender inequality, attempts to control women’s sexuality, and ideas about purity, modesty and aesthetics. It is initiated and usually carried out by women, who see it as a source of honour, and who fear that failing to have their daughters and granddaughters cut will expose the girls to social exclusion. Over 125 million women and girls have experienced FGM in the 29 countries in which it is concentrated. Over eight million have been infibulated, a practice found largely in Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan. FGM has been outlawed or restricted in most of the countries in which it occurs, but the laws are poorly enforced. There have been international efforts since the 1970s to persuade practitioners to abandon it, and in 2012 the United Nations General Assembly, recognizing FGM as a human-rights violation, voted unanimously to intensify those efforts. The opposition is not without its critics, particularly among anthropologists. Reuters photographer Siegfried Modola captured this ceremony in rural Kenya for four teenage girls of the Pokot tribe, in Baringo County. The pictures show frightened girls lined up before villagers in Kenya to be circumcised – even though the brutal practice is now illegal in the country. Tearful: One of the young girls, covered in an animal skin, cries after being circumcised. The practice was outlawed three years ago Tearful: One of the young girls, covered in an animal skin, cries after being circumcised. The practice was outlawed three years ago Frightened: Four young Pokot girls stand outside one of the girl's homes just before the beginning of their circumcision ceremony Frightened: Four young Pokot girls stand outside one of the girl’s homes just before the beginning of their circumcision ceremony Adorned: After the ceremony, the girls, now covered in animal skins and beaded necklaces, walk to where they will rest after the tribal ritual Adorned: After the ceremony, the girls, now covered in animal skins and beaded necklaces, walk to where they will rest after the tribal ritual Painted: After the ritual, the girls faces are painted white to show they have been circumcised and transitioned into womanhood Painted: After the ritual, the girls faces are painted white to show they have been circumcised and transitioned into womanhood Scared: One girl, after her ceremony, walks to a resting place covered in an animal skin in the remote village of Pokot in Baringo County Scared: One girl, after her ceremony, walks to a resting place covered in an animal skin in the remote village of Pokot in Baringo County Tradition: Despite a government ban on the practice, circumcision remains a rite of passage, particularly among poor families in rural areas Tradition: Despite a government ban on the practice, circumcision remains a rite of passage, particularly among poor families in rural areas Smeared: Village elders cover a young girl's face in white paint after she is circumcised, a requirement for young girls before they can marry Smeared: Village elders cover a young girl’s face in white paint after she is circumcised, a requirement for young girls before they can marry Rampant: More than a quarter of women in Kenya have been circumcised, despite the government making the practice illegal in 2011 Rampant: More than a quarter of women in Kenya have been circumcised, despite the government making the practice illegal in 2011 Naked: Draped in animal skins, the Pokot girls sit naked on rocks before village elders perform the ritual Naked: Draped in animal skins, the Pokot girls sit naked on rocks before village elders perform the ritual Wait: The Pokot girls wait in their homes to be circumcised. One father said: 'It's a tradition that has been happening forever' Wait: The Pokot girls wait in their homes to be circumcised. One father said: ‘It’s a tradition that has been happening forever’

Members of the Pokot tribe gather round a fire before the ceremony, about 80 kilometres from the town of Marigat in Baringo County

Kenyan law gives life imprisonment when a girl dies from the procedure, which can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth

A prosecution unit against genital cutting was set up in March and is currently investigating 50 cases. Pictured, the Pokot girls in a hut

Preparation: Pokot women place large stones where girls will be seated to undergo their circumcision rite

ey Through Female Circumcision Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is the ritual removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. Typically carried out by a traditional circumciser with a blade or razor, with or without anaesthesia, FGM is concentrated in 27 countries in Africa, as well as in Yemen and Iraqi Kurdistan, and practised to a lesser extent elsewhere in Asia and among diaspora communities around the world. The age at which it is conducted varies from days after birth to puberty; in half the countries for which national figures are available, most girls are cut before the age of five. The procedures differ according to the ethnic group. They include removal of the clitoral hood and clitoris, and in the most severe form (known as infubulation) removal of the inner and outer labia and closure of the vulva; in this last procedure, a small hole is left for the passage of urine and menstrual blood, and the vagina is opened for intercourse and childbirth. Health effects depend on the procedure, but can include recurrent infections, chronic pain, cysts, an inability to get pregnant, complications during childbirth and fatal bleeding. There are no known health benefits. The practice is rooted in gender inequality, attempts to control women’s sexuality, and ideas about purity, modesty and aesthetics. It is initiated and usually carried out by women, who see it as a source of honour, and who fear that failing to have their daughters and granddaughters cut will expose the girls to social exclusion. Over 125 million women and girls have experienced FGM in the 29 countries in which it is concentrated. Over eight million have been infibulated, a practice found largely in Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan. FGM has been outlawed or restricted in most of the countries in which it occurs, but the laws are poorly enforced. There have been international efforts since the 1970s to persuade practitioners to abandon it, and in 2012 the United Nations General Assembly, recognizing FGM as a human-rights violation, voted unanimously to intensify those efforts. The opposition is not without its critics, particularly among anthropologists. Reuters photographer Siegfried Modola captured this ceremony in rural Kenya for four teenage girls of the Pokot tribe, in Baringo County. The pictures show frightened girls lined up before villagers in Kenya to be circumcised – even though the brutal practice is now illegal in the country. Tearful: One of the young girls, covered in an animal skin, cries after being circumcised. The practice was outlawed three years ago Tearful: One of the young girls, covered in an animal skin, cries after being circumcised. The practice was outlawed three years ago Frightened: Four young Pokot girls stand outside one of the girl's homes just before the beginning of their circumcision ceremony Frightened: Four young Pokot girls stand outside one of the girl’s homes just before the beginning of their circumcision ceremony Adorned: After the ceremony, the girls, now covered in animal skins and beaded necklaces, walk to where they will rest after the tribal ritual Adorned: After the ceremony, the girls, now covered in animal skins and beaded necklaces, walk to where they will rest after the tribal ritual Painted: After the ritual, the girls faces are painted white to show they have been circumcised and transitioned into womanhood Painted: After the ritual, the girls faces are painted white to show they have been circumcised and transitioned into womanhood Scared: One girl, after her ceremony, walks to a resting place covered in an animal skin in the remote village of Pokot in Baringo County Scared: One girl, after her ceremony, walks to a resting place covered in an animal skin in the remote village of Pokot in Baringo County Tradition: Despite a government ban on the practice, circumcision remains a rite of passage, particularly among poor families in rural areas Tradition: Despite a government ban on the practice, circumcision remains a rite of passage, particularly among poor families in rural areas Smeared: Village elders cover a young girl's face in white paint after she is circumcised, a requirement for young girls before they can marry Smeared: Village elders cover a young girl’s face in white paint after she is circumcised, a requirement for young girls before they can marry Rampant: More than a quarter of women in Kenya have been circumcised, despite the government making the practice illegal in 2011 Rampant: More than a quarter of women in Kenya have been circumcised, despite the government making the practice illegal in 2011 Naked: Draped in animal skins, the Pokot girls sit naked on rocks before village elders perform the ritual Naked: Draped in animal skins, the Pokot girls sit naked on rocks before village elders perform the ritual Wait: The Pokot girls wait in their homes to be circumcised. One father said: 'It's a tradition that has been happening forever' Wait: The Pokot girls wait in their homes to be circumcised. One father said: ‘It’s a tradition that has been happening forever’ Members of the Pokot tribe gather round a fire before the ceremony, about 80 kilometres from the town of Marigat in Baringo County Members of the Pokot tribe gather round a fire before the ceremony, about 80 kilometres from the town of Marigat in Baringo County < div class=”ob-row-1-col”>Kenyan law gives life imprisonment when a girl dies from the procedure, which can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth Kenyan law gives life imprisonment when a girl dies from the procedure, which can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth A prosecution unit against genital cutting was set up in March and is currently investigating 50 cases. Pictured, the Pokot girls in a hut A prosecution unit against genital cutting was set up in March and is currently investigating 50 cases. Pictured, the Pokot girls in a hut Preparation: Pokot women place large stones where girls will be seated to undergo their circumcision rite Preparation: Pokot women place large stones where girls will be seated to undergo their circumcision rite Pokot girls are encouraged to leave their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during the ceremony Pokot girls are encouraged to leave their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during the ceremony

Pokot girls run from their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during their circumcision ceremony

Village elders push a young girl out of a hut to take her to the place where her circumcision will be performed

A Pokot girl bleeds onto a rock after being circumcised in a tribal ritual. In addition to excruciating pain, can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth

Ceremony: After the procedure, a Pokot girl is smeared with white paint to show she has undergone the rite of passage

A Pokot woman holds a razor blade after performing a circumcision on four girls. Practitioners use anything from broken glass to scissors

A Pokot woman performs a circumcision on a girl in a village. Although the government has banned it, the practice is rife in rural communities

ey Through Female Circumcision Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is the ritual removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. Typically carried out by a traditional circumciser with a blade or razor, with or without anaesthesia, FGM is concentrated in 27 countries in Africa, as well as in Yemen and Iraqi Kurdistan, and practised to a lesser extent elsewhere in Asia and among diaspora communities around the world. The age at which it is conducted varies from days after birth to puberty; in half the countries for which national figures are available, most girls are cut before the age of five. The procedures differ according to the ethnic group. They include removal of the clitoral hood and clitoris, and in the most severe form (known as infubulation) removal of the inner and outer labia and closure of the vulva; in this last procedure, a small hole is left for the passage of urine and menstrual blood, and the vagina is opened for intercourse and childbirth. Health effects depend on the procedure, but can include recurrent infections, chronic pain, cysts, an inability to get pregnant, complications during childbirth and fatal bleeding. There are no known health benefits. The practice is rooted in gender inequality, attempts to control women’s sexuality, and ideas about purity, modesty and aesthetics. It is initiated and usually carried out by women, who see it as a source of honour, and who fear that failing to have their daughters and granddaughters cut will expose the girls to social exclusion. Over 125 million women and girls have experienced FGM in the 29 countries in which it is concentrated. Over eight million have been infibulated, a practice found largely in Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan. FGM has been outlawed or restricted in most of the countries in which it occurs, but the laws are poorly enforced. There have been international efforts since the 1970s to persuade practitioners to abandon it, and in 2012 the United Nations General Assembly, recognizing FGM as a human-rights violation, voted unanimously to intensify those efforts. The opposition is not without its critics, particularly among anthropologists. Reuters photographer Siegfried Modola captured this ceremony in rural Kenya for four teenage girls of the Pokot tribe, in Baringo County. The pictures show frightened girls lined up before villagers in Kenya to be circumcised – even though the brutal practice is now illegal in the country. Tearful: One of the young girls, covered in an animal skin, cries after being circumcised. The practice was outlawed three years ago Tearful: One of the young girls, covered in an animal skin, cries after being circumcised. The practice was outlawed three years ago Frightened: Four young Pokot girls stand outside one of the girl's homes just before the beginning of their circumcision ceremony Frightened: Four young Pokot girls stand outside one of the girl’s homes just before the beginning of their circumcision ceremony Adorned: After the ceremony, the girls, now covered in animal skins and beaded necklaces, walk to where they will rest after the tribal ritual Adorned: After the ceremony, the girls, now covered in animal skins and beaded necklaces, walk to where they will rest after the tribal ritual Painted: After the ritual, the girls faces are painted white to show they have been circumcised and transitioned into womanhood Painted: After the ritual, the girls faces are painted white to show they have been circumcised and transitioned into womanhood Scared: One girl, after her ceremony, walks to a resting place covered in an animal skin in the remote village of Pokot in Baringo County Scared: One girl, after her ceremony, walks to a resting place covered in an animal skin in the remote village of Pokot in Baringo County Tradition: Despite a government ban on the practice, circumcision remains a rite of passage, particularly among poor families in rural areas Tradition: Despite a government ban on the practice, circumcision remains a rite of passage, particularly among poor families in rural areas Smeared: Village elders cover a young girl's face in white paint after she is circumcised, a requirement for young girls before they can marry Smeared: Village elders cover a young girl’s face in white paint after she is circumcised, a requirement for young girls before they can marry Rampant: More than a quarter of women in Kenya have been circumcised, despite the government making the practice illegal in 2011 Rampant: More than a quarter of women in Kenya have been circumcised, despite the government making the practice illegal in 2011 Naked: Draped in animal skins, the Pokot girls sit naked on rocks before village elders perform the ritual Naked: Draped in animal skins, the Pokot girls sit naked on rocks before village elders perform the ritual Wait: The Pokot girls wait in their homes to be circumcised. One father said: 'It's a tradition that has been happening forever' Wait: The Pokot girls wait in their homes to be circumcised. One father said: ‘It’s a tradition that has been happening forever’ Members of the Pokot tribe gather round a fire before the ceremony, about 80 kilometres from the town of Marigat in Baringo County Members of the Pokot tribe gather round a fire before the ceremony, about 80 kilometres from the town of Marigat in Baringo County < div class=”ob-row-1-col”>Kenyan law gives life imprisonment when a girl dies from the procedure, which can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth Kenyan law gives life imprisonment when a girl dies from the procedure, which can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth A prosecution unit against genital cutting was set up in March and is currently investigating 50 cases. Pictured, the Pokot girls in a hut A prosecution unit against genital cutting was set up in March and is currently investigating 50 cases. Pictured, the Pokot girls in a hut Preparation: Pokot women place large stones where girls will be seated to undergo their circumcision rite Preparation: Pokot women place large stones where girls will be seated to undergo their circumcision rite Pokot girls are encouraged to leave their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during the ceremony Pokot girls are encouraged to leave their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during the ceremony Pokot girls run from their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during their circumcision ceremony Pokot girls run from their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during their circumcision ceremony Village elders push a young girl out of a hut to take her to the place where her circumcision will be performed Village elders push a young girl out of a hut to take her to the place where her circumcision will be performed A Pokot girl bleeds onto a rock after being circumcised in a tribal ritual. In addition to excruciating pain, can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth A Pokot girl bleeds onto a rock after being circumcised in a tribal ritual. In addition to excruciating pain, can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth Ceremony: After the procedure, a Pokot girl is smeared with white paint to show she has undergone the rite of passage Ceremony: After the procedure, a Pokot girl is smeared with white paint to show she has undergone the rite of passage A Pokot woman holds a razor blade after performing a circumcision on four girls. Practitioners use anything from broken glass to scissors A Pokot woman holds a razor blade after performing a circumcision on four girls. Practitioners use anything from broken glass to scissors A Pokot woman performs a circumcision on a girl in a village. Although the government has banned it, the practice is rife in rural communities A Pokot woman performs a circumcision on a girl in a village. Although the government has banned it, the practice is rife in rural communities More than a quarter of girls and women in Kenya have undergone genital cutting, according to United Nations data More than a quarter of girls and women in Kenya have undergone genital cutting, according to United Nations data

A Pokot girl, covered in animal skins, is led by village elders to a place where she will rest after being circumcised

The Pokot girls, covered with animal skins, squat on rocks after being stripped naked and washed during their circumcision rite

ey Through Female Circumcision Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is the ritual removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. Typically carried out by a traditional circumciser with a blade or razor, with or without anaesthesia, FGM is concentrated in 27 countries in Africa, as well as in Yemen and Iraqi Kurdistan, and practised to a lesser extent elsewhere in Asia and among diaspora communities around the world. The age at which it is conducted varies from days after birth to puberty; in half the countries for which national figures are available, most girls are cut before the age of five. The procedures differ according to the ethnic group. They include removal of the clitoral hood and clitoris, and in the most severe form (known as infubulation) removal of the inner and outer labia and closure of the vulva; in this last procedure, a small hole is left for the passage of urine and menstrual blood, and the vagina is opened for intercourse and childbirth. Health effects depend on the procedure, but can include recurrent infections, chronic pain, cysts, an inability to get pregnant, complications during childbirth and fatal bleeding. There are no known health benefits. The practice is rooted in gender inequality, attempts to control women’s sexuality, and ideas about purity, modesty and aesthetics. It is initiated and usually carried out by women, who see it as a source of honour, and who fear that failing to have their daughters and granddaughters cut will expose the girls to social exclusion. Over 125 million women and girls have experienced FGM in the 29 countries in which it is concentrated. Over eight million have been infibulated, a practice found largely in Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan. FGM has been outlawed or restricted in most of the countries in which it occurs, but the laws are poorly enforced. There have been international efforts since the 1970s to persuade practitioners to abandon it, and in 2012 the United Nations General Assembly, recognizing FGM as a human-rights violation, voted unanimously to intensify those efforts. The opposition is not without its critics, particularly among anthropologists. Reuters photographer Siegfried Modola captured this ceremony in rural Kenya for four teenage girls of the Pokot tribe, in Baringo County. The pictures show frightened girls lined up before villagers in Kenya to be circumcised – even though the brutal practice is now illegal in the country. Tearful: One of the young girls, covered in an animal skin, cries after being circumcised. The practice was outlawed three years ago Tearful: One of the young girls, covered in an animal skin, cries after being circumcised. The practice was outlawed three years ago Frightened: Four young Pokot girls stand outside one of the girl's homes just before the beginning of their circumcision ceremony Frightened: Four young Pokot girls stand outside one of the girl’s homes just before the beginning of their circumcision ceremony Adorned: After the ceremony, the girls, now covered in animal skins and beaded necklaces, walk to where they will rest after the tribal ritual Adorned: After the ceremony, the girls, now covered in animal skins and beaded necklaces, walk to where they will rest after the tribal ritual Painted: After the ritual, the girls faces are painted white to show they have been circumcised and transitioned into womanhood Painted: After the ritual, the girls faces are painted white to show they have been circumcised and transitioned into womanhood Scared: One girl, after her ceremony, walks to a resting place covered in an animal skin in the remote village of Pokot in Baringo County Scared: One girl, after her ceremony, walks to a resting place covered in an animal skin in the remote village of Pokot in Baringo County Tradition: Despite a government ban on the practice, circumcision remains a rite of passage, particularly among poor families in rural areas Tradition: Despite a government ban on the practice, circumcision remains a rite of passage, particularly among poor families in rural areas Smeared: Village elders cover a young girl's face in white paint after she is circumcised, a requirement for young girls before they can marry Smeared: Village elders cover a young girl’s face in white paint after she is circumcised, a requirement for young girls before they can marry Rampant: More than a quarter of women in Kenya have been circumcised, despite the government making the practice illegal in 2011 Rampant: More than a quarter of women in Kenya have been circumcised, despite the government making the practice illegal in 2011 Naked: Draped in animal skins, the Pokot girls sit naked on rocks before village elders perform the ritual Naked: Draped in animal skins, the Pokot girls sit naked on rocks before village elders perform the ritual Wait: The Pokot girls wait in their homes to be circumcised. One father said: 'It's a tradition that has been happening forever' Wait: The Pokot girls wait in their homes to be circumcised. One father said: ‘It’s a tradition that has been happening forever’ Members of the Pokot tribe gather round a fire before the ceremony, about 80 kilometres from the town of Marigat in Baringo County Members of the Pokot tribe gather round a fire before the ceremony, about 80 kilometres from the town of Marigat in Baringo County < div class=”ob-row-1-col”>Kenyan law gives life imprisonment when a girl dies from the procedure, which can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth Kenyan law gives life imprisonment when a girl dies from the procedure, which can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth A prosecution unit against genital cutting was set up in March and is currently investigating 50 cases. Pictured, the Pokot girls in a hut A prosecution unit against genital cutting was set up in March and is currently investigating 50 cases. Pictured, the Pokot girls in a hut Preparation: Pokot women place large stones where girls will be seated to undergo their circumcision rite Preparation: Pokot women place large stones where girls will be seated to undergo their circumcision rite Pokot girls are encouraged to leave their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during the ceremony Pokot girls are encouraged to leave their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during the ceremony Pokot girls run from their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during their circumcision ceremony Pokot girls run from their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during their circumcision ceremony Village elders push a young girl out of a hut to take her to the place where her circumcision will be performed Village elders push a young girl out of a hut to take her to the place where her circumcision will be performed A Pokot girl bleeds onto a rock after being circumcised in a tribal ritual. In addition to excruciating pain, can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth A Pokot girl bleeds onto a rock after being circumcised in a tribal ritual. In addition to excruciating pain, can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth Ceremony: After the procedure, a Pokot girl is smeared with white paint to show she has undergone the rite of passage Ceremony: After the procedure, a Pokot girl is smeared with white paint to show she has undergone the rite of passage A Pokot woman holds a razor blade after performing a circumcision on four girls. Practitioners use anything from broken glass to scissors A Pokot woman holds a razor blade after performing a circumcision on four girls. Practitioners use anything from broken glass to scissors A Pokot woman performs a circumcision on a girl in a village. Although the government has banned it, the practice is rife in rural communities A Pokot woman performs a circumcision on a girl in a village. Although the government has banned it, the practice is rife in rural communities More than a quarter of girls and women in Kenya have undergone genital cutting, according to United Nations data More than a quarter of girls and women in Kenya have undergone genital cutting, according to United Nations data A Pokot girl, covered in animal skins, is led by village elders to a place where she will rest after being circumcised A Pokot girl, covered in animal skins, is led by village elders to a place where she will rest after being circumcised The Pokot girls, covered with animal skins, squat on rocks after being stripped naked and washed during their circumcision rite The Pokot girls, covered with animal skins, squat on rocks after being stripped naked and washed during their circumcision rite Strength: One mother said the pain would make her daughter strong. 'She can show the rest of the community that she can endure it' Strength: One mother said the pain would make her daughter strong. ‘She can show the rest of the community that she can endure it’

Inside a hut, the Pokot girls sit and wait for their circumcision ceremony. At its worst, the rite involves cutting off the clitoris and outer genitalia

Trance: A Pokot woman falls into a trance after drinking a local brew and dancing during a female circumcision ceremony

ey Through Female Circumcision Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting and female circumcision, is the ritual removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. Typically carried out by a traditional circumciser with a blade or razor, with or without anaesthesia, FGM is concentrated in 27 countries in Africa, as well as in Yemen and Iraqi Kurdistan, and practised to a lesser extent elsewhere in Asia and among diaspora communities around the world. The age at which it is conducted varies from days after birth to puberty; in half the countries for which national figures are available, most girls are cut before the age of five. The procedures differ according to the ethnic group. They include removal of the clitoral hood and clitoris, and in the most severe form (known as infubulation) removal of the inner and outer labia and closure of the vulva; in this last procedure, a small hole is left for the passage of urine and menstrual blood, and the vagina is opened for intercourse and childbirth. Health effects depend on the procedure, but can include recurrent infections, chronic pain, cysts, an inability to get pregnant, complications during childbirth and fatal bleeding. There are no known health benefits. The practice is rooted in gender inequality, attempts to control women’s sexuality, and ideas about purity, modesty and aesthetics. It is initiated and usually carried out by women, who see it as a source of honour, and who fear that failing to have their daughters and granddaughters cut will expose the girls to social exclusion. Over 125 million women and girls have experienced FGM in the 29 countries in which it is concentrated. Over eight million have been infibulated, a practice found largely in Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan. FGM has been outlawed or restricted in most of the countries in which it occurs, but the laws are poorly enforced. There have been international efforts since the 1970s to persuade practitioners to abandon it, and in 2012 the United Nations General Assembly, recognizing FGM as a human-rights violation, voted unanimously to intensify those efforts. The opposition is not without its critics, particularly among anthropologists. Reuters photographer Siegfried Modola captured this ceremony in rural Kenya for four teenage girls of the Pokot tribe, in Baringo County. The pictures show frightened girls lined up before villagers in Kenya to be circumcised – even though the brutal practice is now illegal in the country. Tearful: One of the young girls, covered in an animal skin, cries after being circumcised. The practice was outlawed three years ago Tearful: One of the young girls, covered in an animal skin, cries after being circumcised. The practice was outlawed three years ago Frightened: Four young Pokot girls stand outside one of the girl's homes just before the beginning of their circumcision ceremony Frightened: Four young Pokot girls stand outside one of the girl’s homes just before the beginning of their circumcision ceremony Adorned: After the ceremony, the girls, now covered in animal skins and beaded necklaces, walk to where they will rest after the tribal ritual Adorned: After the ceremony, the girls, now covered in animal skins and beaded necklaces, walk to where they will rest after the tribal ritual Painted: After the ritual, the girls faces are painted white to show they have been circumcised and transitioned into womanhood Painted: After the ritual, the girls faces are painted white to show they have been circumcised and transitioned into womanhood Scared: One girl, after her ceremony, walks to a resting place covered in an animal skin in the remote village of Pokot in Baringo County Scared: One girl, after her ceremony, walks to a resting place covered in an animal skin in the remote village of Pokot in Baringo County Tradition: Despite a government ban on the practice, circumcision remains a rite of passage, particularly among poor families in rural areas Tradition: Despite a government ban on the practice, circumcision remains a rite of passage, particularly among poor families in rural areas Smeared: Village elders cover a young girl's face in white paint after she is circumcised, a requirement for young girls before they can marry Smeared: Village elders cover a young girl’s face in white paint after she is circumcised, a requirement for young girls before they can marry Rampant: More than a quarter of women in Kenya have been circumcised, despite the government making the practice illegal in 2011 Rampant: More than a quarter of women in Kenya have been circumcised, despite the government making the practice illegal in 2011 Naked: Draped in animal skins, the Pokot girls sit naked on rocks before village elders perform the ritual Naked: Draped in animal skins, the Pokot girls sit naked on rocks before village elders perform the ritual Wait: The Pokot girls wait in their homes to be circumcised. One father said: 'It's a tradition that has been happening forever' Wait: The Pokot girls wait in their homes to be circumcised. One father said: ‘It’s a tradition that has been happening forever’ Members of the Pokot tribe gather round a fire before the ceremony, about 80 kilometres from the town of Marigat in Baringo County Members of the Pokot tribe gather round a fire before the ceremony, about 80 kilometres from the town of Marigat in Baringo County < div class=”ob-row-1-col”>Kenyan law gives life imprisonment when a girl dies from the procedure, which can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth Kenyan law gives life imprisonment when a girl dies from the procedure, which can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth A prosecution unit against genital cutting was set up in March and is currently investigating 50 cases. Pictured, the Pokot girls in a hut A prosecution unit against genital cutting was set up in March and is currently investigating 50 cases. Pictured, the Pokot girls in a hut Preparation: Pokot women place large stones where girls will be seated to undergo their circumcision rite Preparation: Pokot women place large stones where girls will be seated to undergo their circumcision rite Pokot girls are encouraged to leave their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during the ceremony Pokot girls are encouraged to leave their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during the ceremony Pokot girls run from their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during their circumcision ceremony Pokot girls run from their hut and make their way to a place where they will take off their clothes and wash during their circumcision ceremony Village elders push a young girl out of a hut to take her to the place where her circumcision will be performed Village elders push a young girl out of a hut to take her to the place where her circumcision will be performed A Pokot girl bleeds onto a rock after being circumcised in a tribal ritual. In addition to excruciating pain, can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth A Pokot girl bleeds onto a rock after being circumcised in a tribal ritual. In addition to excruciating pain, can cause haemorrhage, shock and complications in childbirth Ceremony: After the procedure, a Pokot girl is smeared with white paint to show she has undergone the rite of passage Ceremony: After the procedure, a Pokot girl is smeared with white paint to show she has undergone the rite of passage A Pokot woman holds a razor blade after performing a circumcision on four girls. Practitioners use anything from broken glass to scissors A Pokot woman holds a razor blade after performing a circumcision on four girls. Practitioners use anything from broken glass to scissors A Pokot woman performs a circumcision on a girl in a village. Although the government has banned it, the practice is rife in rural communities A Pokot woman performs a circumcision on a girl in a village. Although the government has banned it, the practice is rife in rural communities More than a quarter of girls and women in Kenya have undergone genital cutting, according to United Nations data More than a quarter of girls and women in Kenya have undergone genital cutting, according to United Nations data A Pokot girl, covered in animal skins, is led by village elders to a place where she will rest after being circumcised A Pokot girl, covered in animal skins, is led by village elders to a place where she will rest after being circumcised The Pokot girls, covered with animal skins, squat on rocks after being stripped naked and washed during their circumcision rite The Pokot girls, covered with animal skins, squat on rocks after being stripped naked and washed during their circumcision rite Strength: One mother said the pain would make her daughter strong. 'She can show the rest of the community that she can endure it' Strength: One mother said the pain would make her daughter strong. ‘She can show the rest of the community that she can endure it’ Inside a hut, the Pokot girls sit and wait for their circumcision ceremony. At its worst, the rite involves cutting off the clitoris and outer genitalia Inside a hut, the Pokot girls sit and wait for their circumcision ceremony. At its worst, the rite involves cutting off the clitoris and outer genitalia Trance: A Pokot woman falls into a trance after drinking a local brew and dancing during a female circumcision ceremony Trance: A Pokot woman falls into a trance after drinking a local brew and dancing during a female circumcision ceremony Rest: Pokot women and children rest by a fire during the early hours of the morning as they wait for the beginning of a circumcision ceremony Rest: Pokot women and children rest by a fire during the early hours of the morning as they wait for the beginning of a circumcision ceremony