Malaysia
Malaysia
- Prevalence of FGM/C: No official data reported. Several studies have documented FGM/C across the provinces of Kelantan, Penang, Selangor, Kedah and Johor, where up to 93% of Muslim women have undergone FGM/C.
- Types of FGM/C thought to be practised: Type I and Type IV are reported to be practised.
- Legal status of FGM/C: No specific national legislation prohibiting FGM/C.
- Relevant policies relating to FGM/C:
- In 2009, the government sponsored 86th conference of Malaysia’s Fatwa Committee, National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs, decided that FGM/C is part of Islamic teachings and should be observed by Muslims.
- In 2012, the Malaysian health ministry announced that it was developing guidelines to standardise FGM/C; however, they were never published.
- At Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) 2018, the Malaysian representative defended “female circumcision” in Malaysia, and stated that the practice “should not be equated” with FGM/C.
- In November 2018, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who is also the Women, Family and Community Development Minister, stated that FGM/C is part of Malaysian culture and defended the practice as being beneficial to women.
- The Malaysian Islamic Department of Development (JAKIM) published guidelines for medicalised FGM/C in 2018, thus legitimising the practice as acceptable, despite international condemnation.
- International commitments to end FGM/C:
- Sustainable Development Goals Target 5.3: Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and FGM/C.
- Voluntary national reporting indicator 5.3.2: Proportion of girls and women aged 15-49 years who have undergone FGM/C, by age.
- Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW): Ratified in 1995.
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC): Ratified in 1995.
