Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), or female circumcision, is not some old, abandoned practice from long-gone tribal cultures in far-off places. It's very much alive in many countries and cultures throughout the world, particularly in Africa.

While the frequency of FGM varies from 99 percent in Guinea (1999) to 5 percent in Niger (1998), it is representative of a much greater problem of violence against women. And unless we stop it, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that in Africa alone, nearly three million girls will continue to be at risk of FGM every year.

FGM is considered a rite of passage for women and girls in many cultures, but it is detrimental to the health and happiness of any girl who endures it. According to the Department of Homeland Security, girls are subjected to FGM at different ages, varying from only a few-weeks-old in Yemen to 12-years-old in Kenya and Tanzania. The severity of the procedure also varies from a symbolic nick of the clitoris to complete removal of the clitoris and partial closure of the vagina.

According to the WHO, an estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide are currently living with the consequences of FGM, and those consequences aren't pretty. The short-term effects include pain, bleeding, urinary problems, infection and shock. In the long-term a victim can experience serious scarring, pelvic infections, infertility, menstrual difficulties, sexual pain and problems during pregnancy and childbirth.

So what can you do? V-Day is a global movement to stop violence against women and girls by generating attention for issues including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM) and sexual slavery.

For information on the horrors of FGM and to find out how you can help fight this injustice against women and girls, visit vday.com.