200 million Female Genital Mutilation survivors world over. Will the brutality never end?

Over the last few years a number of campaigns on issues surrounding the female body have reared their head. Movements like the #FreeTheNipple movement, and the campaigns to remove the taboo surrounding menstruation, have helped shine the light on women's issues.

Despite the UN having declared 6 February as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the brutal practice - still a reality for many across the world - has failed to garner the global condemnation it deserves. You will be surprised to know that 200 million women across the world have been subjected female genital mutilation.

Almost half of these women live in Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia. According to UNICEF, Somalia, Guinea and Djibouti continue to show the highest prevalence of FGM globally. The report was released by the UN's children agency ahead of 6 February.

Shocking figures

Of the 200 million women recorded by the UN, 44 million are girls aged 14 and younger. A majority of the girls in 30 countries have undergone FGM before their fifth birthday.

"Being born in those countries (Somalia, Guinea and Djibouti) means you have 9 out of 10 possibilities of undergoing the practice," said Claudia Cappa, the lead author of the report told AFP.

"The prevalence rates for FGM in Somalia stands at a staggering 98 per cent for Somalia, 97 per cent for Guinea and 93 per cent for Djibouti".

The new global figure on FGM includes nearly 70 million more girls and women than the last estimate for 2014, largely due to new data provided by Indonesia and population growth in some countries.

Putting an end to an inhumane practise

UNICEF has declared the practice as a clear violation of children's rights and has set a target date of 2030 to end it.

Since 2008, more than 15,000 communities have abandoned FGM including 2,000 last year alone. Five countries have passed laws criminalising the practice: Kenya, Uganda, Guinea-Bissau and recently Nigeria and Gambia in 2015.

The overall prevalence of FGM among teenage girls has dropped in the 30 countries, from 51 per cent in 1985 to 37 per cent today.