The Pyramids, the Great Wall, female genitalia. If the International Solidarity Foundation (ISF) is successful, the latter will uniquely join the former, and over 1,200 other natural and cultural places, that are designated by UNESCO as deserving of protection for future generations. More specifically, the bid is a continuation of the ISF’s fight against the “international problem” of female genital mutilation (FGM).
The application by the Finland-based non-governmental organization was symbolically timed to take place on the International Day of the Girl Child, and was presented to Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture, and also addressed UNESCO – an agency of the United Nations – directly with a pledge that ran on billboards close to UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
International Solidarity Foundation works against FMG internationally and says the application is a concrete action aimed at protecting girls and women from extreme violence.
“For a subject to be included on UNESCO World Heritage List, its unique universal value must be demonstrated. Without the female genitalia, no person would exist,” says Saara Manelius, Head of Communications at International Solidarity Foundation.
She adds, “Female genital mutilation is an international problem that causes serious health issues and systematically undermines the societal position of women. Therefore, the female genitalia should be recognized and protected by an internationally acknowledged entity.”
The ISF says FGM is a manifestation of inequality as well as a human rights violation with far-reaching consequences on a woman’s life and causes numerous psychological, emotional, and physical health issues and can ultimately lead to death.
Over 200 million girls and women worldwide are estimated to be affected with six girls mutilated every minute. And according to a recent study by the University of Birmingham, 44,000 girls and women die annually as a result of FGM.
The chairman of the Finnish UNESCO committee and Professor of World Politics at the University of Helsinki, Teivo Teivainen, considers the initiative significant.
“Proposing the female genitalia as a UNESCO World Heritage site is important for visibility of women, women’s sexuality, and violations against women’s genitalia. It is also significant because it can foster discussions on the extent to which UNESCO World Heritage sites currently relate to the identity of individual states or regions,” he says. “Whatever the outcome of this application, I hope it inspires reflections on the opportunities for government officials and decision-makers to promote the protection of women’s genitalia.”
UNESCO World Heritage sites are considered to be universally valuable to an extent that their protection and preservation are the responsibility of all humankind. UNESCO World Heritage sites include, among others, the Barrier Reef in Australia, and the ancient city of Machu Picchu in Peru.
The International Solidarity Foundation operates in East Africa in Kenya, Somaliland, and Ethiopia, with the goal of ending FGM worldwide. The organization works closely with local communities, experts, authorities, and religious leaders. The foundation of its work is to change attitudes, enabling the abandonment of traditions that control women and girls, such as FGM.