In Colombia’s Risaralda department, a quiet but determined movement is gaining momentum to end a harmful traditional practice that persists in some Indigenous Embera communities: female genital mutilation (FGM). Though often associated with parts of Africa and the Middle East, FGM has been documented for decades among certain Embera groups in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, where cultural beliefs around purity and marriageability have sustained the ritual despite its severe health consequences. For the first time, Colombia’s national legislature is formally debating a bill to criminalize the practice, marking a pivotal moment in the country’s efforts to protect the rights and bodily autonomy of Indigenous women and girls.
The proposed legislation, introduced in early 2024 by a coalition of lawmakers and Indigenous advocates, seeks to amend Colombia’s Penal Code to explicitly prohibit all forms of FGM, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment for those who perform, facilitate, or transport individuals for the procedure. Even as Colombia already has laws against gender-based violence and child abuse, activists argue that the absence of a specific ban on FGM allows the practice to continue in legal gray areas, particularly in remote Indigenous territories where state oversight is limited. The bill’s progress has been driven in large part by Embera women who have broken community silence to speak out about the physical and psychological trauma they endured.
According to verified reports from Colombia’s National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) and corroborated by field research from the Universidad de los Andes, FGM among the Embera is primarily concentrated in the departments of Risaralda, Chocó, and Valle del Cauca, with estimates suggesting that between 10% and 30% of Embera girls in certain communities have undergone some form of the procedure. These figures, while not nationally representative, are drawn from targeted health surveys and ethnographic studies conducted between 2018 and 2023. The World Health Organization classifies all forms of FGM as a violation of human rights, noting immediate risks such as severe pain, hemorrhage, and infection, as well as long-term complications including chronic pain, infertility, and increased risks during childbirth.
The cultural context surrounding FGM in Embera communities is complex and deeply rooted. Known locally as “curación” or “la limpieza,” the practice is often framed by elders as a rite of passage tied to purity, fertility, and social acceptance. Although, growing numbers of Indigenous women are challenging these narratives, asserting that the tradition causes irreparable harm and has no basis in authentic Embera spirituality. Leaders like María Chilito, an Embera nurse and activist from Pueblo Rico in Risaralda, have become prominent voices in the movement to end FGM, sharing their personal experiences in community forums and national media to shift public perception.
In March 2024, Chilito testified before Colombia’s Senate Committee on Women’s Rights, describing how she underwent the procedure at age eight and suffered chronic health issues for years afterward. “We were told it would craft us clean, marriageable, worthy,” she said, her voice steady but emotional. “Instead, it left us with pain, shame, and silence. Now we are breaking that silence—not to reject our culture, but to reclaim it from harm.” Her testimony was widely covered by Colombian outlets including El Tiempo and Caracol Noticias, amplifying calls for legislative action.
The bill under debate, formally known as Senate Bill 123 of 2024, was introduced by Senator Andrea Padilla of the Green Alliance party, a longtime advocate for animal and human rights. Padilla has emphasized that the legislation is not intended to stigmatize Indigenous communities but to support them in abandoning harmful practices through education, healthcare access, and community-led dialogue. “This is about protection, not punishment,” Padilla stated during a press briefing in Bogotá. “We want to operate with Indigenous leaders, not impose solutions from above. The goal is to ensure that no girl in Colombia suffers because of a tradition that endangers her health and violates her rights.”
Support for the bill has grown beyond Indigenous advocates to include major human rights organizations. Amnesty International Colombia and the Colombian Commission of Jurists have both issued public endorsements, citing Colombia’s international obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In a joint statement released in April 2024, the organizations urged Congress to pass the bill swiftly, noting that Colombia would join over 30 Latin American and Caribbean countries that have already enacted specific laws against FGM.
Despite this momentum, the bill faces resistance from some traditional authorities who view external intervention as a threat to Indigenous autonomy. In certain Embera reservations, leaders have warned that criminalizing FGM without community consultation could drive the practice underground, making it harder to monitor and address. Anthropologists working with the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH) have stressed that any effective strategy must prioritize intercultural dialogue and empower Indigenous women as agents of change, rather than relying solely on punitive measures.
To that end, the bill includes provisions for culturally sensitive education programs, training for healthcare workers in Indigenous regions, and funding for community-based prevention initiatives. These elements were added following consultations with the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia (ONIC) and the Embera Council of Elders, reflecting a growing recognition that sustainable change requires trust, respect, and collaboration. The Ministry of Health has as well pledged to strengthen maternal health services in Risaralda and Chocó, where access to obstetric care remains limited and complications from FGM can be life-threatening.
As of May 2024, the bill has passed its first debate in the Senate and is awaiting review by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs. If approved, it would proceed to a second debate in the Chamber of Representatives before potentially being signed into law by President Gustavo Petro. No official date has been set for the final vote, but advocates are pushing for action before the end of the current legislative session in June 2024. Updates on the bill’s progress can be tracked through the official website of Colombia’s Congress (www.congreso.gov.co), where all legislative texts and voting records are publicly available.
The fight to end FGM in Colombia is part of a broader global effort to eliminate the practice by 2030, a target set by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. While prevalence rates in Colombia remain low compared to countries in Africa or the Middle East, experts warn that even isolated cases represent a serious human rights concern. As María Chilito put it during her Senate testimony: “Culture should never be an excuse for violence. Our daughters deserve to grow up whole, healthy, and free to define their own lives.”
For readers seeking to learn more about the health impacts of FGM or support organizations working to end the practice, verified resources include the World Health Organization’s fact sheet on female genital mutilation (WHO FGM Fact Sheet) and the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (UNFPA-UNICEF FGM Programme). These platforms offer evidence-based information, guidance for healthcare providers, and ways to support grassroots initiatives.
As Colombia stands on the verge of a historic legislative decision, the voices of Embera women like Chilito are reshaping the conversation—not as victims, but as leaders in a movement for dignity, health, and cultural renewal. The outcome of this debate will not only determine the legal status of FGM in the country but also signal how Colombia balances respect for Indigenous traditions with its fundamental commitment to human rights.
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