United Nations Population Fund

Female Genital Mutilation Dashboard (FGM) - Nigeria

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Overview
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In Nigeria, 25 per cent of women and girls, aged 15-49, have undergone some form of FGM

27% of women aged 15-49 in Nigeria have undergone some form of FGM

Created with Highcharts 4.0.3Less than 15%15 - 34%35 - 54%55% and more

27% of women aged 15-49 in Nigeria have undergone some form of FGM

Created with Highcharts 4.0.3KatsinaAdamawaBornoKogiPlateauZamfaraGombeKebbiNigerSokotoTarabaYobeBauchiFCT, AbujaBenueNassarawaAkwa IbomOgunRiversBayelsaAnambraKadunaAbiaCross RiverLagosJigawaDeltaEnuguKanoEdoOndoKwaraOyoImoEkitiEbonyiOsun0%20%40%60%80%100%
Key Indicators Data sources
Population size, female, age 15-49 (in thousands), 2017 GLOBAL Revision of the World Population Prospects 2017
Prevalence of FGM among women and girls, 15-49 (%) DHS 2013
Prevalence of FGM among girls, 15-19 (%) DHS 2013
FGM prevalence rate in most affected ethnic group in the country (%) DHS 2013
Existence of policies and laws banning FGM Global FGM programme data 2014

Trends

 Prevalence of FGM has decreased by 8 per cent between 2011 and 2013; FGM is less common among girls aged 15-19 than women aged 45-49

Prevalence of FGM has decreased by 9% between 2008 and 2011; FGM is less common among girls 15-19 than women 45-49

Created with Highcharts 4.0.3MICS 2011DHS 2013Nigeria15-1945-49EkoiYorubaIgboHausaOtherFulaniIbibioIjaw/izonKanuri/beriberiIgalaTiv0100255075
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Inequalities

 Human rights violations affect females differently. Girls who are the least educated are at the greatest risk of FGM

Human rights violations affect females differently. Girls who are the least educated are at the greatest risk of FGM

Residence
Education Level
Wealth Quintile
Women and girls who have undergone FGM, by sociodemographic characteristic
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3MICS 2011DHS 2013UrbanRural0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3MICS 2011DHS 2013Richest 20%FourthMiddleSecondPoorest 20%0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3MICS 2011DHS 2013Secondary or higherPrimaryNo education0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3MICS 2011DHS 2013Richest 20%FourthMiddleSecondPoorest 20%Secondary or higherPrimaryNo educationUrbanRural0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%ResidenceEducation LevelWealth quintile
Women and girls who have undergone FGM, by sociodemographic characteristic
Attitudes towards FGM and how is FGM performed
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Performers of FGM

FGM is mostly performed by traditional excisors (more than 70 per cent), but even by some medical professionals

FGM is essentially performed by other traditional (more than 65%). FGM is practised more and more by medical professionals

Created with Highcharts 4.0.3DoctorNurse/Midwife/Other health workerTraditional excisorsOther traditionalOtherDon't know/missingRuralUrbanNigeria0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Type of FGM

More than 60 per cent of women and girls who undergone FGM have had their genitalia cut, with some flesh removed

Almost half of girls and women who undergone FGM have had their genitalia cut, with some flesh removed

Created with Highcharts 4.0.3Nicked. no flesh removedPartly flesh removedSewn closedDon't know/missing45-4940-4435-3930-3425-2920-2415-19RuralUrbanNigeria0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
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Opposition

64 per cent of women believe FGM should be discontinued

About 66 percent of women and girls believe FGM should be discontinued

Residence
Education Level
Wealth Quintile
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3MICS 2011DHS 2013Source :NigeriaRuralUrban0%20%40%60%80%
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3MICS 2011DHS 2013Source :NigeriaNo EducationPrimarySecondary/higher0%25%50%75%100%
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3MICS 2011DHS 2013Source :NigeriaPoorest 20%SecondMiddleFourthRichest 20%0%20%40%60%80%
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3MICS 2011DHS 2013Source :NigeriaRuralUrbanNo EducationPrimarySecondary/higherPoorest 20%SecondMiddleFourthRichest 20%0%100%25%50%75%
FGM among young girls

More than 80 per cent of the women who have undergone FGM were cut before age 5; the difference of age at FGM between women 15-19 and women 45-49 indicates that more girls are likely to be cut at an earlier age

Created with Highcharts 4.0.3Total 0-4 yrTotal 5-9 yrTotal 10-14 yrTotal 15+ yrNot availablewomen
age at
FGM/C
15-49women
age at
FGM/C
15-19women
age at
FGM/C
45-49

Prevalence of FGM among young girls, by residence, education of mothers, ethnic group and wealth index, per cent

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At the time of the survey, 17% of girls in Nigeria had undergone some form of FGM

19% of daughters aged 0-14 in Nigeria have undergone some form of FGM Indicator captures a certain point in time and not an eternal truth, as these young girls might be cut at a later stage in their lives

Percentage who have undergone FGM
Residence
Education Level
Ethnicity
Wealth Quintile
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3Percent who have undergone FGM1717171916132926181654310.40.31920151613NigeriaRuralUrbanNo educationPrimarySecondary or higherYorubaHausaIgboFulaniOtherKanuri/beriberiEkoiIbibioTivIjaw/izonPoorest 20%SecondMiddleFourthRichest 20%010203040
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3Percent who have undergone FGM171717NigeriaRuralUrban05101520
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3Percent who have undergone FGM191613No educationPrimarySecondary or higher0510152025
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3Percent who have undergone FGM2926181654310.40.3YorubaHausaIgboFulaniOtherKanuri/beriberiEkoiIbibioTivIjaw/izon010203040
Created with Highcharts 4.0.3Percent who have undergone FGM1920151613Poorest 20%SecondMiddleFourthRichest 20%0510152025
Indicator captures a certain point in time and not an eternal truth, as these young girls might be cut at a later stage in their lives

Source: DHS 2013 unless otherwise indicated | United Nations Population Fund |

The designations employed and the presentation of material on the map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of UNFPA concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

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