International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation

Today is the International Day for Zero Tolerance against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

FGM is the partial or total removal of female genitalia or other injury to the female genitalia for non medical reasons.

In Africa alone, 100-140 million girls have undergone FGM within the 28 countries that practice FGM and about 3 million are at risk of undergoing the cut each year.

Here's a 57 second video just to get us thinking about this issue.

CLICK HERE for a video (5:32) of a UNICEF project relating to this.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Loving God,

we hold before you all who are living with the consequences of FGM.

We pray for those working to dispel ignorance about this issue and that the truth be known.

We pray especially for community leaders -

that they take the side of young girls facing the prospect of FGM

and that they will lead their communities to greater understanding

so that this practice might be eradicated.

We pray this in your Holy Name.  AMEN