France, Feb. 6 -- France has offered some 20,000 girls under the age of 18 refugee status to protect them from the risk of being genitally mutilated in their country of origin. On 6 February, the UN's InternationalDay of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), we look at the process and growing challenges of obtaining asylum in France in this way.

The UN estimates that 200 million girls have undergone some form of FGM in 31 countries around the world. And every six minutes another girl will be added to that list.

Carried out in the name of tradition, the practice involves the partial or total removal of the clitoris and labia minora.

Apart from the pain and urinary and menstrual problems it can lead to, FGM complicates preg...