Female Genital Mutilation Is a Violation of Reproductive Rights of Women: Implications for Health Workers

2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suresh Banayya Jungari
Keyword(s):  
Female Genital Mutilation ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Reproductive Rights ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
Female Genital

scholarly journals What Makes a Woman? Case Studies Documenting The Reasons for and Circumstances of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Indonesia, Ethiopia and Kenya

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tasneem Kakal ◽  
Irwan Hidayana ◽  
Berhanu Abeje ◽  
Tabither Gitau ◽  
Maryse Kok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Female Genital Mutilation ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Female Genital Cutting ◽  
Traditional Practice ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
Female Bodies ◽  
Female Genital

Abstract Background: Female genital cutting/mutilation is a harmful traditional practice that violates women’s rights and has adverse health consequences. This paper presents the reasons for and circumstances of female genital mutilation/ cutting (FGM/C) in specific settings of three countries – Indonesia, Ethiopia and Kenya.Methods: Data were collected through a household survey with young people (15-24 years) and through focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and key informant interviews with youth and community stakeholders in 2016 and 2017. Descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis were conducted.Results: The study findings confirm some of the reasons for FGM/C documented by previous studies, noting that these reasons are strongly interconnected, and gender norms are the underlying driver. In all three settings, these reasons drive the alterations of female bodies to result in a ‘cultured’ body that is acceptable to the patriarchal status quo. This results in the ‘pure body’ in Indonesia, the ‘tame’ body in Ethiopia and the ‘adult body’ in Kenya. Health workers and parents play an important role in decision-making around FGM/C in all settings. In Kenya, in particular, young women negotiate their role in decision-making around FGM/C as they are older at the time of circumcision. The study reveals how the changing legal and social contexts in each setting bring about changes in the tradition of FGM/C resulting in medicalization of FGM/C in Indonesia, a lowered age of cutting for girls in Kenya and the increasingly underground practice of FGM/C in Ethiopia.Conclusions: The three cases demonstrate the huge variation in the practice of FGM/C and the social meaning attributed to it by young women and their communities. There is a need to further explore the role of parents in decision-making. Due to the links between the different drivers of FGM/C within each context, the study concludes that context-specific strategies need to be adopted by interventions to create long-lasting change.

scholarly journals Female genital mutilation (FGM) in Somaliland – why is change so slow?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annika Johansson ◽  
Abdirahman Osman Gaas ◽  
Amina Mahmoud Warsame
Keyword(s):  
Female Genital Mutilation ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Community Group ◽  
Medical Reason ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
Health Complications ◽  
Female Genital

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is defined as any procedure involving the alteration or excision of external female genitalia for no medical reason. Somaliland has among the highest prevalence rates of FGM globally. In this article we describe how the Civil Society Organisation (CSO) ‘Network against female genital mutilation in Somaliland’ (NAFIS) has approached the challenge to reduce the high FGM prevalence. From its start in 2006, NAFIS has developed a multifaceted program to reach the overall goal: the elimination of all forms of FGM in Somaliland. Alone among the group of CSOs in the network, NAFIS introduced in its activities medical care and counselling for women who suffer from the consequences of FGM. From 2011 and onwards, thousands of women have been relieved of their FGM-related health complications and participated in counselling sessions at project centres. Shortly after this visit they have been invited to participate in community group meetings to share their experiences with other women who also have received FGM care and counselling, and other community members. The aim of the article is to describe this model of work - combining FGM care and counselling with community dialogues. The article is basically descriptive, using the authors’ own observations and encounters with project clients and staff over eight years. We have also used findings from three Master's theses on aspects of the process, and from other small scale studies to highlight people’s understanding, experiences and opinions in a context of an on-going health intervention. A lesson learnt from NAFIS project is that it has helped to open up communicative spaces in community dialogues where experiences are shared and understanding created of the harm caused by FGM, without the habitual stigma and shame. We discuss this process in a context of behavioural change theories. A major challenge during the process has been to involve men in the project’s FGM information and counselling activities. The role of nurses/midwives, being the first to meet women with FGM complications, is also discussed and the need emphasised to strengthen capacity of this category of health workers. One type of FGM gaining in usage is the poorly defined sunna, the health risks of which are unclear.

scholarly journals Towards characterization of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in rural Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 1968-78
Author(s):  
Amelia Ngozi Odo ◽  
Samuel Ifeanyi Christian Dibia ◽  
Evelyn Nwanebe Nwagu ◽  
MaryJoy Umoke ◽  
Prince Christian Ifeanachor Umoke
Keyword(s):  
Rural Communities ◽  
Female Genital Mutilation ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Health Implications ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
Older Volunteers ◽  
Rural Nigeria ◽  
Public Health Challenge ◽  
Female Genital

Background: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a public health challenge and seems to be secretly practiced in some rural communities, despite the ban in Nigeria. Objectives: The study aimed to identify the activities that are involved in FGM, type(s) of FGM practiced and the knowl- edge of health implications of FGM among rural community members in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Methods: We employed exploratory design using qualitative technique. In-depth interviews were conducted with 44 adult (18 years and older) volunteers in four rural communities in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. After thematic analysis using NVivo 11 Pro software, eight sub-themes emerged, among which are: types of FGM practiced, seasons for FGM, FGM by health workers and community leaders, punishment for refusing FGM and knowledge of health implications of FGM. Results: Findings show that FGM is more like a process than just an act, and type most practiced in the study area is Type 1. Circumcisers are health workers and women leaders. Knowledge of health implications of FGM was found to be low among those interviewed. Conclusion: Based on the findings, we concluded that FGM is still practiced in some rural communities in Nigeria, maybe because of poor knowledge of health implications of FGM. Keywords: Female genital mutilation; qualitative study; practice; health implications; Nigeria.

scholarly journals Women's perceptions and practices regarding their rights to reproductive health

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 296-308
Author(s):  
K. Abou Shabana ◽  
M. El Shiek ◽  
M. El Nazer ◽  
N. Samir
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Religious Education ◽  
Female Genital Mutilation ◽  
Reproductive Rights ◽  
Maternity Hospital ◽  
Sexual Rights ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
Women’S Perceptions ◽  
Health Rights ◽  
Female Genital

At the outpatient clinic of Ain Shams University Maternity Hospital, perceptions and practices of 1000 women regarding their reproductive health rights [reproductive rights] were evaluated. The majority had positive perceptions about their rights to reproductive health; however, 30% disagreed with prohibitions of discrimination against women, particularly prohibitions of female genital mutilation [FGM]. A significant association was found between perceptions of sexual rights and demographic characteristics and between education and practices regarding early detection of cancer. No significant association was found between education and concepts of adolescent health education as a reproductive right. Programmes about women’s reproductive rights that emphasize the issue of sexual health through religious education are recommended as one of the best strategies for the eradication of FGM

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