Bogotá.– The Congress of Colombia passed a law aimed at preventing, addressing, and eradicating female genital mutilation, a practice considered a serious human rights violation that still affects girls, especially in some indigenous communities in the country.
The regulation establishes for the first time a specific legal framework to address this problem through prevention, protection, comprehensive care, and data collection actions, in addition to strengthening educational campaigns and coordinated work between State institutions and communities.
The project, known as “Girls Without Ablation”, had generated concern among social organizations and human rights defenders due to the risk that it would be shelved if it was not approved before the end of the current legislative period.
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The law adopts a preventive and intercultural approach, prioritizing education, awareness, and community dialogue over exclusively punitive measures. Its proponents believe that this strategy will allow for the protection of girls without affecting the processes of support and social transformation in the territories where the practice still persists.
According to organizations that supported the initiative, between 2020 and 2025, more than 200 cases of female genital mutilation were documented in Colombia, the majority of them in indigenous girls. However, they warn that there could be underreporting due to the lack of official monitoring mechanisms.
Female genital mutilation comprises procedures that alter or injure the female genital organs for non-medical reasons and can cause serious physical and psychological consequences, including infections, hemorrhages, reproductive complications, and permanent trauma.
With the approval of this law, Colombia takes a significant step in the protection of the rights of girls and women, aligning itself with international efforts to eradicate this practice.
