Death of 13-year-old girl sparks calls for action on FGM in Somalia

Death of 13-year-old girl sparks calls for action on FGM in Somalia

A 13-year-old girl has died after undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM) in Somalia, as activists report a rise in the practice during the pandemic.

Fartun Hassan Ahmed, the daughter of nomadic pastoralists, bled to death after being cut earlier this month in the village of Jeerinle in the state of Galmudug, her mother said.

Activists believe it is the first reported case of an FGM fatality in Somalia since the death of 10-year-old Deeqa Dahir Nuur in 2018. With one of the highest rates of cutting in the world, the east African country has no national law against the practice.