BY Masooma Ranalvi —
In a world that is cut off and locked down, where barely any non Covid-19 stories filter in, the news of Sudan announcing a new law to outlaw female genital mutilation is like a breath of fresh air.
The new law, passed on May 1, makes FGM a criminal offense with a jail sentence for violators of up to three years.
In Sudan, roughly 87% of girls undergo genital mutilation. The kind of FGM performed is the most severe type 3, and involves the cutting of all external genitalia including the labia minora, labia majora and the clitoris.
The law is welcome news and serves as inspiration for activists like myself in other corners of the world, where FGM still menaces women and girls.