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What are the four categories of female genital cutting identified by the World Health Organization?
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Body modifications and mutilations
Peruvian elongated skulls, trephined male (left) and intact female (right), c. 1000 bc.
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies female genital cutting (FGC) into four distinct categories based on the nature of the procedure:1
- Type 1 (Clitoridectomy): The partial or total removal of the clitoris and, in some instances, the clitoral hood (prepuce).1
- Type 2 (Excision): The partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, which may also include the removal of the labia majora.1
- Type 3 (Infibulation): Also known as Pharaonic circumcision, this involves removing parts of the external genitalia and sealing the vaginal opening by sewing or pinning the remaining tissue together as it heals.1
- Type 4: Any other harmful procedures performed on the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, such as pricking, piercing, incising, scraping, or cauterizing the genital area.1
These practices are widely recognized as human rights violations that cause severe physical and psychological harm, and international organizations like the WHO and the United Nations actively campaign for their total elimination.12