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FGM which means Female Genital Mutilation refers to the partial or total removal of the external female Instruments or other injury to the female genital organs for cultural or other non-medical reasons.
FGM is also called Female circumcision or Female genital cutting

An estimated 100 million to 140 million girls and women alive today are believed to have been subjected to FGM; they are predominately in sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab States. But rates of FGM are increasing, a reflection of global population growth.
A key challenge is not only protecting girls who are currently at risk but also ensuring that those to be born in the future will be free from the dangers of the practice. This is especially important considering that FGM-concentrated countries are generally experiencing high population growth and have large youth populations. In 2010, for example, more than 45 per cent of the female populations in the Gambia, Mali, Somalia and Uganda were under age 15. Source: UNFPA

Situation in Nigeria:
An estimated 19.9 million Nigerian women have undergone FGM/C
meaning that approximately 16% of the 125 million FGM/C survivors worldwide are Nigerians (NPoPC 2014).
Overall prevalence of FGM/C among girls and women aged 15-49 years in Nigeria (27%) is lower than in many countries (NDHS 2013).
However, due to its large population, Nigeria has the third highest absolute number of women and girls (19.9 million) who have undergone FGM/C worldwide (after Egypt and Ethiopia)
The 2013 NDHS collected information about FGM/C in Nigeria from all women age 15-49yrs. The topics covered included knowledge and prevalence of FGM/C, type of circumcision, age at circumcision, and attitudes toward the practice of circumcision.
27% of women age 15-49 has been circumcised.
82% of women in Nigeria undergo FGM before age 5.
FGM/C is more prevalent in the southern zones than in the northern zones. States with the highest prevalence Osun (77%), Ebonyi (74%) , Ekiti (72%), Imo (68%) and Oyo (66%)
Knowledge of FGM is higher among Yoruba women than among women in any other ethnic group in Nigeria.
FGM is most prevalent among Yoruba women (55%), followed by Igbo women (45%)
Infibulation is more prevalent in Nasarawa (22%), Kaduna (21%), and Bayelsa (20%) than in other states.
Proportion of FGM among girls age 0-14 is higher among those whose mothers have also been circumcised.
The higher a mother’s level of education, the less likely her daughter has been circumcised.
26% of girls age 0-14 whose mothers were infibulated were also circumcised and had their genital area sewn closed.
87% of girls age 0-14 and 80% of women age 15-49 were cut by a traditional agent (Circumciser, TBA, & others). 12% of girls and 13% of women were cut by a medical professional (Doctor, Nurse/Midwife and others)
68% of women and 57 % of men who have heard of FGM believe that the practice is not required by their religion.
64% of women and 62% of men think that the practice of FGM should not continue. Source: UNFPA

To help eradicate the practice of FGM, join Young Nigerian FGM/C campaigners on a live twitter Conversation.
Topic: Common Myths Associated With FGM/C
All Tweets should be direted to @felxfames or @endcuttinggirls
and #endcuttinggirls and #endfgm hashtags should be used.

This is what we call research.