Colombia becomes first Latin American country to pass Law specifically banning female genital mutilation

When we talk about female genital mutilation, we almost always think of certain African countries. And yet, this human rights violation also persists on the other side of the world, in the heart of Latin America.

That is why the Colombian Senate’s passage of Law 444 on June 10 must be hailed as a historic turning point: Colombia has become the first country in Latin America to enact specific legislation against female genital mutilation (FGM).

This achievement comes after years of struggle led primarily by Indigenous women from the Emberá community, who had the courage to break a deeply entrenched silence and denounce a practice known locally as “ablación.”

A tradition that continues to affect young girls

The practice is carried out in certain Emberá Indigenous communities in Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama. According to beliefs passed down from generation to generation, the clitoris must be removed to prevent it from developing like a male organ. In some groups, this mutilation is even referred to as “curación,” meaning “healing.”

This practice is rooted in ancestral myths and a deeply patriarchal view of the female body, according to which women’s sexual pleasure is something to be controlled or suppressed. Yet, as we know, behind the invocation of tradition lies a reality of pain, permanent trauma, and serious physical and psychological consequences for thousands of young girls.

According to data published by Equality Now, at least 204 cases of female genital mutilation were documented in Colombia between 2020 and 2025. Of these, 177 involved minors, often very young girls. The most affected areas are Risaralda and Chocó, although the problem may be much more widespread due to the difficulty of collecting reports in the most remote regions.

A law developed in collaboration with communities

The bill’s sponsors worked to ensure that the text would not be limited to introducing penalties, but would instead adopt an intercultural, preventive, and human rights-based approach. The goal is to combat the practice without criminalizing communities, but rather by fostering spaces for dialogue, information, and cultural change.

Indigenous women played a decisive role by leading awareness campaigns, organizing on-the-ground meetings, and engaging in advocacy efforts with institutions.

Among them is Juliana Domico, one of the leading voices of the Niñas sin Ablación (“Girls Without FGM”) movement, who summed up the meaning of this struggle as follows:

“Mutilation is the result of anatomical ignorance and machismo, not culture. We are our clothing, our crafts, our dances, and our language—not a practice that kills. Culture does not kill.”

These words dismantle one of the most common arguments used to perpetuate female genital mutilation: the idea that any tradition should be preserved simply because it expresses an identity.

For now, the Parliament’s passage of the law is only a first step. To take full effect, the bill must still be signed into law by the President of the Republic.

But above all, it will be essential to translate the law into concrete actions: ensuring medical and psychological care for victims, training professionals and institutions, funding educational campaigns, and reaching the most remote communities where the practice remains widespread.

“Since the law was approved, we can finally reach areas we were previously unable to access and involve more people in bringing about change,” said Ms. Domico. “This is a historic debt that the Colombian government owes to our people.”

Source: Terre des Hommes