The members of Clitoraid are outraged with US District Judge Bernard Friedman’s decision to render unconstitutional the US federal law banning FGM or Cutting (FGM/C). Clitoraid, a charitable US organization inspired by International Spiritual leader Rael, has been offering clitoral restorative surgery to over 500 survivors of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) since 2009.

"We demand that Judge Bernard Friedman’s decision be overturned and that the federal law ban all Genital Mutilation (GM) in children regardless of gender'" says Nadine Gary, Clitoraid Director of operations.

Children genital mutilation is a serious human rights violation and a form of child abuse. It has a life-long health and psychological consequences and must both be apprehended at the federal and state levels.

The Michigan case is significant because it uncovers two disturbing legal outcomes concerning the protection of children against genital mutilation in the US.

Firstly, FGM is being downgraded to a legislation solely regulated by individual states instead of a uniform federal protection because according to Judge Friedman FGM is a 'local criminal activity'. It is to be noted that over 500,000 FGM victims currently reside in the US according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

"Yet, the lack of federal legislation would incite perpetrators to cross state borders and freely seek a safe haven or a lesser punishment to practice their crime. Currently, 23 US states have yet to criminalize FGM." warns Gary.

Secondly, Dr. Jumana Nagarwala who forced genital cutting on little girls in the Michigan Livonia clinic testified to only performing a "minor nick" . Her statement causes male circumcision to be legally challenged. See thorough analysis of Brian Earp, Associate Director of the Yale University program on Health and Ethics policy and Research Fellow at the university of Oxford.

Dr. Nagarwala's act violated the current Federal law title 18 U.S.C. §§ 2, 116, and 371 pertaining to Female Genital Mutilation which reads: "whoever knowingly circumcises, excises, or infibulates the whole or any part of the labia majora or labia minora or clitoris of another person who has not attained the age of 18 years shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both".

"So, if a 'minor nick' on girls genitals constitutes a violation which Judge Friedman characterizes as “criminal assault” but the cutting of the entire foreskin of boys' genitals is not, then the above law is in dire need of being rewritten to protect all children". points out Gary.

In the US, 81% of the male population is victim of genital cutting according to the CDC.

Concerning the Michigan case, the Clitoraid members therefore declare: Genital Mutilation is a violation of the bodily and sexual integrity of children and must be punished to the full extent of the federal law regardless of the gender of children.

See Brian Earp full analysis in favor of a law banning Genital Mutilation regardless of gender

Nairobi, March 7, 18 - On Women's Day, women around the world stand up for gender equality, denounce sexual violence and celebrate their womanhood. Kenyan women are no exception. Today, thousands of Kenyan sexually mutilated women are demanding the proper restoration of their anatomy and their duly right to experience orgasm without shame and guilt.

The second annual Kenyan humanitarian mission to restore the clitoris of FGM victims is set to take place from July 22 to Aug 04 in Nairobi. It is a collaborative effort between two dedicated NGOs: Clitoraid, based in the US and its Kenyan counterpart, Pink Plus Garana.

According to a 2013 UNICEF report, a quarter of all Kenyan women are victims of the barbaric custom of FGM, also known as “cutting" informs Nairobi based Dr. Adan Abdullahi, head of Garana. "we are humbled that the medical community is finally able to offer a surgical solution to women facing a lifetime of pain and suffering caused by FGM".

The upcoming humanitarian mission is being launched amidst the #metoo worldwide movement denouncing sexual violence against women.

"FGM survivors are truly the apex of sexual assault" deplores Clitoraid's surgeon, Dr. Marci Bowers of San Francisco, USA "It is sad to say that in this case, it is mostly women who inflict sexual torture on the girls in their community by dismembering their genitals".

Dr. Abdulahi adds: "Recently, ​Nairobi​ Doctor Tatu Kamau filed a lawsuit to reverse the​ Kenyan​ ban on FGM​​ in adult women by arguing that adult women should be able to do whatever they want with their bodies".

Both doctors agree that adults are free to treat their body as they please though they ponder how women’s sexual pleasure can be so repressed that some women would choose to cut off their "​Allah given" healthy clitoris, ​ie. ​the most pleasurable part of their anatomy, to make them honorable members of the community.

"Sexual education is key for women to fully embrace their innate womanhood in Kenya and around the world" says ​Bowers.

Both Dr. Bowers and Abdullahi will volunteer their surgical skills to reconstruct the clitoris of patients suffering from FGM in Nairobi this summer. ​45​ women were restored last year.

LAS VEGAS, May 22 - Despite the government's surgery ban in the Kamkaso hospital, Clitoraid / AVFE continue their original mission and launch a free clitoral restorative surgery campaign in Burkina Faso as part of Clitoris Awareness Month.

A few days before the opening ceremony of the Kamkaso hospital in Bobo Dioulasso, BF in 2014, the Burkina Faso Health Office notified Clitoraid / AVFE of its ban on surgeries, while Professor Charlemagne Ouedraogo launched a defamation campaign against AVFE and Clitoraid doctors.

Since then, despite repeated administrative efforts on the part of Clitoraid, the government has failed to respond to the humanitarian organization's requests to grant the opening of the Kamkaso hospital.

During a conference in Italy in 2017, Mrs. Lamizana born Traore Mariam, former minister for women's health in Blaise Compaore's government and president of the woman's organization La Voix Des Femmes (Women's Voice)
officially declared that Clitoraid’s action was not necessary since many Burkinabe surgeons were now offering clitoral repair to local women.

“Mrs. Lamizana's remarks are completely false" says Mrs. Siribie, spokesperson for AVFE/ Clitoraid. "Some clinics may have begun to offer the surgery but at a steep price, whereas the Kamkaso pleasure hospital thanks to international donations offers the same service for free to FGM survivors.

The women who cannot afford the surgery must hold Mrs. Lamizana and the Burkina Faso Government solely responsible for their inability to access the surgery.

“Let us remind the public that the government's motion to ban the opening of the Kamkaso hospital strictly stems from religious discrimination toward the Raelians who launched this humanitarian endeavor designed to benefit women of all religions" declares Mrs Siribie.

"AVFE and Clitoraid’s original objective is to offer clitoral restorative surgery to the thousands of women who have contacted us and who cannot afford the procedure." says Siribie
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"After Clitoraid’s successful mission in Kenya earlier this month, where Dr. Bowers, Clitoraid’s chief surgeon, operated on 45 women and children, we decided to meet the expectations of the Burkinabe women and allow most of them to regain their dignity and their sense of pleasure, "explains Brigitte Boisselier, Clitoraid’s President.

The Kamkaso hospital is fully equipped and able to accommodate 6 women per day if the authorization was given to Clitoraid.

The mission of Clitoraid International, inspired by Prophet Rael, spiritual leader of the International Raelian Movement, is to ensure that all women who have been genitally mutilated have access to clitoral restorative surgery as developed by Dr. Foldes.

"Until the Kamkaso hospital officially opens its doors, these operations will be performed in clinics accredited by the Clitoraid program and by surgeons trained by Dr. Bowers. In the meantime, our hospital will act as a welcoming center for FGM victims wishing to have the surgery" adds Boisselier.

“The extra costs and further inconvenience to FGM survivors can only be blamed on the Burkina Faso government that refuses to authorize the opening of our humanitarian hospital based on religious discrimination" deplores Boisselier.

The women of Burkina Faso who wish to know more about clitoral restorative surgery are cordially invited to an information conference at the Kamkaso hospital on Saturday May 27 from 8 am to 6 pm.
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LAS VEGAS, May 15 – ​​Clitoraid's two​-​week humanitarian ​surgical ​mission held during Clitoris Awareness month in Nairobi, Kenya ended on May 12 ​as ​45 FGM survivors saw their clitoris and dignity restored.

Dr Bowers, Clitoraid's head surgeon based in San Francisco, US​A, ​trained 16 local Kenyan doctors and calls the mission a beacon of hope for the horn of Africa where millions of FGM victims reside.

​Spiritual leader ​Maitreya Rael who ins​pired the creation of Clitoraid states that "Femininity is the future of humanity"​. ​ Clitoraid strongly contributes to women's empowerment, a sentiment shared by all of our Kenyan patients.

"As soon as women heard that such surgery was being offered in Nairobi, they crowded from early dawn outside and into the waiting rooms of Karen and Mama Lucy hospitals where the mission co-sponsored by Kenyan NGO Garana (Project Pink Plus) was taking place." explains Nadine Gary, spokesperson for Clitoraid

Women also wrote to Clitoraid from countries as far as Nigeria and Sierra Leone, begging us to come to their country.

Dr Lalla Malika Issoufou Mahamadou, first lady of Niger voiced her wish of hosting a Clitoraid surgical mission in her country.

The Kenya mission comprised patients ranging from age 8 to 64.

"Clitoral restorative surgery is not appropriate for children but this 8 years old girl was brought to the hospital suffering from genital mutilation and severe sexual abuse which required intensive genital reconstructive surgery." explains Gary "Dr. Bowers and Dr. Abdullahi immediately alleviated her suffering with their surgical pelvic expertise".

Gary says that women are utterly fed up with this tradition. "Everyone of the desperate women who came for surgery overwhelmingly agreed. This gruesome practice cuts through their body, their marriage, their whole lives".

Most of the patients who underwent the procedure during the past two week complained of broken marriages due to their genital mutilation.

This mission presented a formidable healing opportunity for all the patients not only in their genitals but in their whole beings.

"At the recovery place reserved for them after their surgery, the patients were able to open up about the infamous day of their cutting with other victims. For many, it was the first time in their lives. They spoke about the pain, the anger, the despair, the resentment, the sexual frustrations, the marriage break ups, their sexual fantasies. They laughed, they cried together in a tremendous group healing." says Gary.

Some patients created a blog chat group to keep in touch during the healing process and to support each other in the future.

The recovery takes about 3 months, after which specific clitoral physical therapy will begin under the professional guidance of Dr. Esho and Raelian Guide Clemence Linard, clinical sexologists who have counseled the patients thus far.