Cohort analysis of the state of female genital cutting in Nigeria: prevalence, daughter circumcision and attitude towards its discontinuation

Abstract Background Female genital cutting (FGC) inflicts life-long injuries on women and their female children. It constitutes a violation of women’s fundamental human rights and threats to bodily integrity. Though decreasing, the practice is high and widespread in Nigeria despite efforts towards its eradication. This study was conducted to perform cohort analysis of the state of FGC between the years 2009 and 2018 in Nigeria. Results The study found that that FGC has reduced over the years from 56.3% among the 1959–1963 birth cohort to 25.5% among 1994–1998 cohorts but a rise in FGC between 1994–1998 cohorts and 1999–2003 cohorts (28.4%). The percentage of respondents who circumcised their daughters reduced from 40.1% among the oldest birth cohort to 3.6% among the younger cohort. Birth-cohort, religion, education, residence, region, and ethnicity were associated with FGC. Factors associated with the daughter’s circumcision were birth-cohort, religion, residence, region, ethnicity, wealth, marital status, FGC status of the respondent, and FGC required by religion. Similar factors were found for discontinuation intention. Conclusions The practice of FGC is still high but decreasing among younger birth-cohorts in Nigeria. There is no significant change in the perception of the discontinuation of FGC. More awareness about the adverse effects of FGC, particularly among women with poor education in Nigeria will greatly reduce this cultural menace’s timely eradication.

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Sociodemographic factors associated with female genital cutting among women of reproductive age in Nigeria

The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care ◽

10.1080/13625187.2017.1328048 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 274-279 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

T. O. Ojo ◽

M. Y. Ijadunola

Keyword(s):

Sociodemographic Factors ◽

Reproductive Age ◽

Female Genital Cutting ◽

Women Of Reproductive Age ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Genital Cutting ◽

Female Genital

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Factors associated with female genital cutting in Yemen and its policy implications

Midwifery ◽

10.1016/j.midw.2019.03.010 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 74 ◽

pp. 99-106 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Abdullah N. Alosaimi ◽

Birgitta Essén ◽

Luoto Riitta ◽

Bright I. Nwaru ◽

Halima Mouniri

Keyword(s):

Policy Implications ◽

Female Genital Cutting ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Genital Cutting ◽

Female Genital

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The child’s right to genital integrity

Philosophy & Social Criticism ◽

10.1177/0191453719854212 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 46 (7) ◽

pp. 878-898 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kate Goldie Townsend

Keyword(s):

Real World ◽

Social Preference ◽

Minority Group ◽

Female Genital Cutting ◽

Bodily Integrity ◽

Liberal Societies ◽

Genital Cutting ◽

Equal Right ◽

Female Genital ◽

Male Genital

People in liberal societies tend to feel a little uncomfortable talking about male genital cutting, but generally do not think it is morally abhorrent. But female genital cutting is widely considered to be morally repulsive. This common social intuition – that male genital cutting is benign, but female genital cutting is impermissibly harmful – is mirrored in the policies of real-world liberal governments and real-world international liberal institutions. The difference in attitudes towards these practices could be explained by investigation into the cultural biases of people in liberal societies, where social preference is given to practices conducted by majority and established minority group members over those practised by members of marginalised groups. In this article, I argue that the intuition cannot be defended from a liberal position committed to equal children’s rights. I defend children’s equal right to bodily integrity. I claim that in practice children’s right to bodily integrity is conditional on it serving their greater interests – which sometimes require adults to interfere with children’s bodies in ways that we would not interfere with adults’ bodies. But, I argue, this practical conditionality ought not to mean that the state treat male and female children differently. I make a case for the child’s inviolable right to genital integrity, based on the relationship between the child’s genital integrity and their sexual and genital autonomy in adulthood. I outline and respond to potential criticisms, namely that (i) male genital cutting has medical benefits that outweigh its harms and that (ii) female genital cutting is more socially harmful than male genital cutting.

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Factors associated with the support of pricking (female genital cutting type IV) among Somali immigrants – a cross-sectional study in Sweden

Reproductive Health ◽

10.1186/s12978-017-0351-0 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Anna Wahlberg ◽

Sara Johnsdotter ◽

Katarina Ekholm Selling ◽

Carina Källestål ◽

Birgitta Essén

Keyword(s):

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Female Genital Cutting ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Type Iv ◽

Somali Immigrants ◽

Genital Cutting ◽

Female Genital

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Prevalence and Barriers to Ending Female Genital Cutting: The Case of Afar and Amhara Regions of Ethiopia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17217960 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (21) ◽

pp. 7960

Author(s):

Sintayehu Abebe ◽

Muluken Dessalegn ◽

Yeshitila Hailu ◽

Misrak Makonnen

Keyword(s):

Significant Proportion ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Community Empowerment ◽

Female Genital Cutting ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Community Stakeholders ◽

Female Children ◽

Genital Cutting ◽

Knowledge And Attitude ◽

Female Genital

Female genital cutting (FGC) remains highly prevalent in Ethiopia, in spite of a slowly decreasing trend over the last decade. In an effort to inform and strengthen FGC interventions in Ethiopia, this study aimed to assess FGC prevalence in cross-administrative border* districts and to explore barriers to ending FGC. A mixed methods, cross-sectional study was employed in three districts in the Afar and Amhara regions in Ethiopia. A sample of 408 women with female children under the age of 15 were included in the study. Additionally, 21 key informant interviews and three focus group discussions were held with local government officials and community stakeholders. The study found that the prevalence of FGC among mothers interviewed was 98%. Seventy-four percent of the female children of participants had undergone FGC. Of the youngest (last born) female children, 64.7% had experienced FGC. The participation of respondents in cross-administrative FGC practices ranged from 4% to 17%. Quantitative analysis found that knowledge and attitude towards FGC, level of literacy, place of residence, and religious denomination were associated with FGC practice. The study also found that the lack of participatory involvement of local women in programs that aim to end FGC and the lack of suitable legal penalties for those who practice FGC exacerbate the problem. A significant proportion of participants support the continuation of FGC practices in their communities. This finding indicates that FGC practice is likely to persist unless new approaches to intervention are implemented. It is recommended that a comprehensive response that couples community empowerment with strong enforcement of legislation is administered in order to effectively end FGC in Ethiopia by 2025, in alignment with the national plan against Harmful Traditional Practices. * Cross-administrative border means a border between two regional states in Ethiopia. In this document, it refers to the movement of people between Amhara and Afar regional states.

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