Another major health risk that CEFM presents is in relation to a traditional practice known as female genital mutilation (FGM), which is outlawed in most East African countries. Legally CEDAW and CRC Committees have defined FGM as a harmful practice violating the human rights of girls and women on par with child marriage.29 Despite this, FGM is still widely practiced and seen as a prerequisite after achieving puberty and before marriage.30 In relation to CEFM, FGM can be forced upon a girl who is to be married as young as nine years old. Lastly, FGM can cause ‘severe bleeding and problems urinating and later lead to medical conditions, including infertility, complications in childbirth and increased risk of new-born deaths.