'My grandmother subjected my baby to female genital mutilation behind my back'
Colombia has become the first Latin American country to criminalize female genital mutilation (FGM) following a unanimous congressional vote. The legislation aims to curb the practice, which remains prevalent in some indigenous communities despite significant health risks.
Why it matters
This legal milestone represents a major shift in human rights protections for women and girls in Latin America, addressing a long-standing public health and social justice issue.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images Image caption, It is believed FGM is more prevalent in the Emberá community than official statistics suggest
Warning: This story contains descriptions of the practices involved in female genital mutilation
In what activists are calling a milestone, Colombia last week became the first country in Latin America where female genital mutilation (FGM) is now illegal.
As José Carlos Cueto reports, while the bill was passed unanimously in Colombia's Congress, it follows a long battle to eradicate the dangerous and often secretive procedure.
Carla Quiñonez's daughter was just six months old when the baby's great-grandmother subjected her to female genital mutilation (FGM) .
Quiñonez (not her real name) says when her grandmother returned the baby to her, she had a fever and was swollen and bleeding. She cried constantly.
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