Catholic Prayer for Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation in Somalia

When Tradition Harms Women and Girls

Somalia has one of the world’s highest rates of female genital mutilation with nearly all women undergoing this harmful practice that causes severe physical and psychological trauma. The procedure, often performed on young girls without anesthesia or medical care, leads to immediate complications including severe pain, bleeding, infection, and sometimes death. Communities practice FGM believing it ensures purity, marriageability, and social acceptance despite overwhelming medical evidence of harm. Catholic healthcare workers and missionaries in Somalia witness the suffering FGM causes while working to educate communities about its dangers and advocate for abandonment of this tradition.

The Church teaches that human dignity requires protecting bodily integrity and that harmful traditional practices must be abandoned regardless of cultural pressure. FGM violates girls’ fundamental rights and causes lifelong health problems including chronic pain, childbirth complications, and psychological trauma. Prayer sustains hope that communities will abandon FGM through education, that survivors will receive medical and psychological care, and that girls will be protected from this violence disguised as tradition. Catholics pray for transformation of attitudes, courage for families to refuse FGM despite social pressure, and healing for those who have suffered its consequences.

Prayer for Girls Facing This Harmful Practice

God the Father, girls in Somalia face female genital mutilation that will cause suffering throughout their lives. They are held down while someone cuts their genitals without anesthesia or proper medical care. They scream in pain as relatives celebrate what they believe is necessary tradition. They bleed excessively with no medical help available. They develop infections that can kill them or cause permanent damage. They suffer psychological trauma from violence inflicted by trusted family members. They live with chronic pain and complications affecting their health forever. These innocent girls experience violence justified by tradition. Protect them from FGM and give them childhoods free from this suffering.

God the Son, You blessed children and condemned those who harm them. You taught that whatever is done to the least of these is done to You. Girls undergoing FGM are among the least and most vulnerable. They cannot consent to or refuse what adults do to their bodies. They suffer violence while powerless to stop it. They bear scars physically and psychologically for entire lives. They experience harm that serves no purpose except maintaining harmful tradition. See their suffering. Hear their screams. Protect them from violence inflicted in tradition’s name. Give them safety and bodily integrity they deserve. Let this generation be the last to suffer FGM.

God the Holy Spirit, inspire protection for girls at risk of FGM in Somalia. Give mothers courage to refuse FGM for their daughters despite family and community pressure. Help fathers to see that protecting daughters from harm matters more than maintaining tradition. Let communities recognize that FGM harms rather than benefits girls. Show religious leaders that no faith requires mutilating children. Give healthcare workers boldness to speak against FGM despite cultural sensitivity concerns. Help NGOs to reach communities with education about FGM’s harms. Protect girls from being taken secretly for FGM when families know others oppose it. Make refusing FGM possible despite intense social pressure to comply.

Saint Maria Goretti, you were child martyr who died protecting your purity and bodily integrity. You understood that protecting one’s body matters supremely. I ask you to intercede for Somali girls facing FGM. Pray that they be protected from this violence. Request that families refuse to subject daughters to FGM. Ask God to give courage to those who resist harmful traditions. Help communities to abandon FGM completely. May your example of protecting bodily integrity inspire protection of girls from FGM.

Eternal Father, no child should suffer violence justified by tradition. Girls facing FGM in Somalia need protection from adults who should care for them. I pray for immediate protection of all girls at risk. Give families courage to refuse FGM despite pressure. Help mothers to protect daughters from grandmothers and aunts demanding FGM. Let communities see that harming girls cannot be justified. Make FGM legally prohibited and socially unacceptable. Protect every girl from this violence. Give them childhoods and futures free from FGM’s harms. Let this harmful practice end completely in Somalia. Amen.

Prayer for Survivors and Their Healing

God the Father, women and girls in Somalia live with FGM’s consequences daily. They experience chronic pain from complications of poorly performed procedures. They suffer infections requiring medical treatment often unavailable. They face difficult childbirths with increased risks of complications and death. They endure psychological trauma from violence experienced as children. They live with sexual dysfunction affecting intimate relationships. They feel shame and betrayal that family members inflicted this harm. They need medical care and psychological support rarely available in Somalia. These survivors deserve healing from violence they did not deserve and could not prevent. Give them healing and restoration.

God the Son, You healed many people suffering from various afflictions during Your ministry. You showed compassion for those in pain and restored them physically and spiritually. FGM survivors in Somalia need this same healing touch. They carry physical and psychological scars from violence inflicted years ago. They suffer complications requiring medical intervention. They need psychological healing from trauma. They need to know they are not defined by what was done to them. Heal their bodies as much as possible through available medical care. Heal their spirits from trauma and shame. Let them know they are valuable and loved despite what they endured.

God the Holy Spirit, guide efforts to provide medical care and psychological support for FGM survivors. Show healthcare providers how to treat complications with limited resources. Give them compassion for women whose suffering stems from harmful traditions. Help develop accessible treatment programs addressing survivors’ physical needs. Let psychological counseling be available helping women process trauma. Show how to create support groups where survivors share experiences and healing. Give survivors courage to seek help despite shame they may feel. Help them to forgive family members who harmed them while still acknowledging the wrong done. Make healing available to all who suffer FGM’s consequences. Create comprehensive support systems for survivors.

Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, you were physician who understood women’s health needs and cared for patients compassionately. You would be moved by suffering FGM causes women. I ask you to pray for FGM survivors in Somalia. Help them to receive medical treatment for complications. Request psychological healing from trauma. Ask God to give them restoration despite permanent changes. Pray that they find peace and wholeness. May your intercession bring healing to all who suffer FGM’s effects.

Loving Father, FGM survivors carry physical and psychological scars requiring healing. They need compassionate care addressing both body and spirit. I pray for comprehensive healing programs throughout Somalia. Give survivors access to medical treatment for complications. Provide psychological support helping them process trauma. Let them receive care with dignity and compassion. Help them to heal emotionally from violence inflicted in childhood. Give them futures not defined by past suffering. Make healing available rather than leaving survivors to suffer without help. Restore them physically as possible and heal them spiritually completely. Amen.

Prayer for Community Education and Attitude Change

God the Father, Somali communities practice FGM believing it ensures purity, marriageability, and social acceptance. They see it as necessary tradition that good families maintain. They fear daughters will be unmarriageable without FGM. They believe it is required by religion though no faith mandates it. They perpetuate FGM not from cruelty but from ignorance of its harms. They have never questioned tradition passed through generations. They do not understand medical evidence showing FGM causes serious health problems. These communities need education revealing truth about FGM and courage to abandon harmful tradition despite social pressure. Transform understanding so communities choose to protect rather than harm girls.

God the Son, You challenged traditions that harmed people while respecting legitimate cultural practices. You taught that traditions must be evaluated by whether they serve human flourishing. You showed that some practices must be abandoned despite their antiquity. Somali communities need this same willingness to question harmful traditions. They must learn that FGM harms rather than benefits girls. They must understand that marriageability and honor do not require mutilation. They must see that protecting daughters brings more honor than maintaining harmful customs. Give them courage to break with tradition when continuing it causes harm. Help them to value girls’ health and dignity above social conformity.

God the Holy Spirit, inspire effective education campaigns changing attitudes about FGM throughout Somalia. Give educators wisdom to approach communities respectfully while clearly explaining FGM’s harms. Help them to address religious misconceptions showing no faith requires FGM. Let respected community members lead change rather than outsiders imposing values. Show how to engage traditional and religious leaders in abandoning FGM. Give courage to early adopters who refuse FGM despite being first in their communities. Help communities to create new coming-of-age ceremonies replacing FGM with harmless alternatives. Make education compelling enough to overcome generations of tradition. Create momentum toward abandonment spreading throughout Somalia. Transform attitudes completely so communities actively protect girls.

Saint Catherine of Siena, you challenged practices and attitudes that harmed people. You spoke truth even when it contradicted accepted traditions. I ask you to pray for attitude change in Somalia regarding FGM. Help communities to recognize that this practice harms girls. Request that education reaches those maintaining FGM. Ask God to give courage to abandon harmful tradition. Pray that attitudes change quickly enough to protect current generation of girls. May your courage in challenging harmful practices inspire others to do the same.

Merciful Father, changing deeply held beliefs requires both education and courage. Somali communities need both to abandon FGM. I pray for widespread education about FGM’s harms. Give communities access to accurate information. Help them to understand medical evidence clearly. Let respected voices advocate for abandonment. Give courage to families who choose to protect daughters first. Make refusing FGM socially acceptable rather than deviant. Create social change that makes FGM unthinkable within one generation. Transform communities from practicing to rejecting FGM completely. Give Somalia future where no girl suffers this violence. Amen.

Prayer for Laws and Enforcement Against FGM

God the Father, Somalia lacks strong legal frameworks prohibiting FGM and protecting girls from this practice. Laws against FGM exist but are poorly enforced. Perpetrators face no consequences even when girls die from complications. Families practice FGM openly knowing authorities will not intervene. Cultural sensitivity prevents officials from enforcing existing laws. Police and courts do not prioritize protecting girls from FGM. This legal vacuum allows FGM to continue unchecked. Laws must be strengthened and enforced to protect girls effectively. Legal prohibition must combine with social change to eliminate FGM completely. Give Somalia laws that actually protect girls and enforcement making those laws meaningful.

God the Son, You taught that authorities should protect the vulnerable and ensure justice. You showed that laws must defend those who cannot defend themselves. You challenged leaders who failed these responsibilities. Somali authorities must protect girls from FGM even when tradition pressures them toward tolerance. They must enforce laws against child abuse regardless of cultural practices. They must prosecute those who mutilate children. They must make protecting girls higher priority than avoiding cultural controversy. Give officials courage to enforce laws protecting girls. Help them to see that failing to act makes them complicit in violence against children. Let them fulfill duty to protect most vulnerable citizens.

God the Holy Spirit, guide development of strong legal frameworks against FGM throughout Somalia. Show lawmakers how to craft legislation that prohibits FGM clearly while respecting legitimate cultural practices. Give law enforcement training in identifying and responding to FGM cases. Help them to investigate and prosecute perpetrators despite cultural sensitivities. Let judges sentence those who perform FGM appropriately. Show how to protect girls when families plan FGM despite laws. Give legal aid to families who want to refuse FGM but face pressure. Make legal prohibition real rather than merely symbolic. Create enforcement that actually prevents FGM rather than just condemning it after the fact. Combine laws with education creating comprehensive approach to elimination.

Saint Thomas More, you enforced laws justly despite pressure to compromise. You understood that protecting the innocent requires courageous law enforcement. I ask you to pray for legal protection against FGM in Somalia. Help strong laws to be enacted and enforced. Request that authorities prosecute those who perform FGM. Ask God to give courage to officials facing cultural pressure. Pray that legal protection becomes real for all girls. May your example of principled law enforcement inspire protection of children.

Eternal Father, laws are necessary though not sufficient for protecting girls from FGM. Somalia needs both strong legal prohibition and vigorous enforcement. I pray for comprehensive legal frameworks protecting girls. Give lawmakers courage to prohibit FGM explicitly. Help police to investigate cases and arrest perpetrators. Let prosecutors pursue cases aggressively. Give judges wisdom to sentence appropriately. Make laws clear that FGM is child abuse regardless of tradition. Enforce laws consistently sending message that FGM will not be tolerated. Combine legal measures with education and support. Create conditions where FGM becomes impossible through both social change and legal prohibition. Amen.

Prayer for Religious Leaders and Cultural Change

God the Father, religious leaders in Somalia can powerfully influence whether communities abandon FGM. Some mistakenly believe Islam requires FGM though no religious text mandates it. Others know FGM is not religious requirement yet hesitate to oppose it publicly. Their silence allows misconception to persist that FGM is religious duty. Some fear losing influence by challenging widely accepted practices. Others simply have not considered the issue carefully. These leaders must speak clearly that no religion requires mutilating girls. Their voices can accelerate change or slow it through silence. Give religious leaders courage and clarity to oppose FGM unequivocally. Let them lead communities toward protecting rather than harming girls.

God the Son, You challenged religious leaders who placed traditions above human wellbeing. You taught that Sabbath was made for humans rather than humans for Sabbath. You showed that religious practices must serve rather than harm people. You condemned those who burdened others in religion’s name. Somali religious leaders need this same clarity about FGM. They must declare unequivocally that no religion requires harming girls. They must correct misconceptions allowing FGM to continue under religious justification. They must use their influence advocating for abandonment rather than remaining silent. Give them courage to lead even when speaking unpopular truths. Help them to see that protecting children is fundamental religious duty transcending any cultural practice.

God the Holy Spirit, inspire religious leaders throughout Somalia to oppose FGM publicly and consistently. Give them understanding that protecting girls’ health and dignity is religious imperative. Help them to study their traditions carefully confirming that FGM lacks religious basis. Let them preach against FGM regularly making clear it is not religious requirement. Give them courage to face criticism from those who believe FGM is religious duty. Help them to work together across different religious traditions united in opposing FGM. Show them how to guide communities toward protective rather than harmful practices. Make them champions for girls’ protection leading communities away from FGM. Create religious consensus opposing FGM that accelerates social change throughout Somalia.

Saint John Chrysostom, you preached boldly against injustices even when powerful people opposed you. You used your influence protecting vulnerable people. I ask you to pray for Somali religious leaders. Help them to oppose FGM clearly and consistently. Request that they use influence to protect girls. Ask God to give them courage to challenge harmful traditions. Pray that they lead communities toward abandoning FGM. May your example of prophetic leadership inspire them to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Loving Father, religious leaders can accelerate FGM’s abandonment through clear opposition or slow change through silence. Somalia needs religious leaders who speak boldly for girls’ protection. I pray for religious leadership throughout the nation. Give them courage to oppose FGM publicly. Help them to correct religious misconceptions justifying FGM. Let them preach consistently that protecting children is religious duty. Make them champions for abandonment leading communities away from harmful practices. Give them unity across traditions in opposing FGM. Let religious leadership combine with community education, legal protection, and medical care. Create comprehensive response to FGM led by religious voices Somalia trusts. Transform religious leadership from silent to prophetic on this issue. Amen.