Persistent female genital mutilation despite its illegality: Narratives from women and men in northern Ghana

Abstract Introduction The practice of female genital mutilation (FGM/C) in traditional African societies is grounded in traditions of patriarchy that subjugate women. It is widely assumed that approaches to eradicating the practice must therefore focus on women’s empowerment and changing gender roles. Methods This paper presents findings from a qualitative study of the FGM/C beliefs and opinions of men and women in Kassena-Nankana District of northern Ghana. Data are analyzed from 22 focus group panels of young women, young men, reproductive age women, and male social leaders. Results The social systemic influences on FGM/C decision-making are complex. Men represent exogenous sources of social influence on FGM/C decisions through their gender roles in the patriarchal system. As such, their FGM/C decision influence is more prominent for uncircumcised brides at the time of marriage than for FGM/C decisions concerning unmarried adolescents. Women in extended family compounds are relatively prominent as immediate sources of influence on FGM/C decision-making for both brides and adolescents. Circumcised women are the main source of social support for the practice, which they exercise through peer pressure in concert with co-wives. Junior wives entering a polygynous marriage or a large extended family are particularly vulnerable to this pressure. Men are less influential and more open to suggestions of eliminating the practice of FGM/C than women. Conclusion Findings attest to the need for social research on ways to involve men in the promotion of FGM/C abandonment, building on their apparent openness to social change. Investigation is also needed on ways to marshal women’s social networks for offsetting their extended family familial roles in sustaining FGM/C practices.

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Prevalence and adverse obstetric outcomes of female genital mutilation among women in rural Northern Ghana

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz195 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 30 (3) ◽

pp. 601-607 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Engelbert A Nonterah ◽

Edmund W Kanmiki ◽

Isaiah A Agorinya ◽

Evelyn Sakeah ◽

Mariatu Tamimu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnancy Outcomes ◽

Female Genital Mutilation ◽

Scale Up ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Northern Ghana ◽

Obstetric Outcomes ◽

Duration Of Stay ◽

Genital Mutilation ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Female Genital

Abstract Background Female genital mutilation (FGM) is commonly practiced in sub-Saharan Africa and results in adverse pregnancy outcomes among affected women. This paper assessed the prevalence and effects of FGM on pregnancy outcomes in a rural Ghanaian setting. Methods We analyzed 9306 delivery records between 2003 and 2013 from the Navrongo War Memorial Hospital. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the effects of FGM on pregnancy outcomes such as stillbirth, birth weight, postpartum haemorrhage, caesarean and instrumental delivery. We also assessed differences in the duration of stay in the hospital by FGM status. Results A greater proportion of mothers with FGM (24.7%) were older than 35 years compared with those without FGM (7.6%). FGM declined progressively from 28.4% in 2003 to 0.6% in 2013. Mothers with FGM were nearly twice as likely to have caesarean delivery (adjusted odds ratios = 1.85 with 95%CI [1.72, 1.99]) and stillbirths (1.60 [1.21, 2.11]) compared with those without. Similarly, they had a 4-fold increased risk of post-partum haemorrhage (4.69 [3.74, 5.88]) and more than 2-fold risk lacerations/episiotomy (2.57 [1.86, 3.21]) during delivery. Average duration of stay in the hospital was higher for mothers with FGM from 2003 to 2007. Conclusions Despite significant decline in prevalence of FGM, adverse obstetric outcomes are still high among affected women. Increased public health education of circumcised women on these outcomes would help improve institutional deliveries and heighten awareness and prompt clinical decisions among healthcare workers. Further scale-up of community level interventions are required to completely eliminate FGM.

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It’s a Woman’s Thing: Gender Roles Sustaining the Practice of Female Genital Mutilation Among the Kassena-Nankana of Northern Ghana

10.21203/rs.3.rs-49943/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

PATRICIA AKWEONGO ◽

Elizabeth F. Jackson ◽

Shirley Afua Appiah-Yeboah ◽

Evelyn Sakeah ◽

James F. Phillips

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Gender Roles ◽

Female Genital Mutilation ◽

Social Research ◽

Extended Family ◽

Peer Pressure ◽

Reproductive Age ◽

Northern Ghana ◽

Genital Mutilation ◽

Female Genital

Abstract BackgroundThe practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in traditional African societies is grounded in traditions of patriarchy that subjugate women. It is widely assumed that approaches to eradicating the practice must therefore focus on women’s empowerment and changing gender roles. MethodsThis paper presents findings from a qualitative study of the FGM beliefs and opinions of men and women in Kassena-Nankana District of northern Ghana. Data are analyzed from twenty-two focus group panels of young women, young men, reproductive age women, and male social leaders. ResultsThe social systemic influences on FGM decision-making are complex. Men represent exogenous sources of social influence on FGM decisions through their gender roles in the patriarchal system. As such, their FGM decision influence is more prominent for uncircumcised brides at the time of marriage than for FGM decisions concerning unmarried adolescents. Women in extended family compounds are relatively prominent as immediate sources of influence on FGM decision-making for both brides and adolescents. Circumcised women are the main source of social support for the practice, which they exercise through peer pressure in concert with co-wives. Junior wives entering a polygynous marriage or a large extended family are particularly vulnerable to this pressure. Men are less influential and more open to suggestions of eliminating the practice of FGM than women. ConclusionFindings attest to the need for social research on ways to involve men in the promotion of FGM abandonment, building on their apparent openness to social change. Investigation is also needed on ways to marshal women’s social networks for offsetting their extended family familial roles in sustaining FGM practices.

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It’s a woman’s thing: Gender roles sustaining the practice of female genital mutilation among the Kassena-Nankana of northern Ghana

10.21203/rs.3.rs-49943/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

PATRICIA AKWEONGO ◽

Elizabeth F. Jackson ◽

Shirley Afua Appiah-Yeboah ◽

Evelyn Sakeah ◽

James F. Phillips

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Gender Roles ◽

Female Genital Mutilation ◽

Social Research ◽

Extended Family ◽

Peer Pressure ◽

Reproductive Age ◽

Northern Ghana ◽

Genital Mutilation ◽

Female Genital

Abstract The practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in traditional African societies is grounded in traditions of patriarchy that subjugate women. It is widely assumed that approaches to eradicating the practice must therefore focus on women’s empowerment and changing gender roles. MethodsThis paper presents findings from a qualitative study of the FGM beliefs and opinions of men and women in Kassena-Nankana District of northern Ghana. Data are analyzed from twenty-two focus group panels of young women, young men, reproductive age women, and male social leaders. ResultsThe social systemic influences on FGM decision-making are complex. Men represent exogenous sources of social influence on FGM decisions through their gender roles in the patriarchal system. As such, their FGM decision influence is more prominent for uncircumcised brides at the time of marriage than for FGM decisions concerning unmarried adolescents. Women in extended family compounds are relatively prominent as immediate sources of influence on FGM decision-making for both brides and adolescents. Circumcised women are the main source of social support for the practice, which they exercise through peer pressure in concert with co-wives. Junior wives entering a polygynous marriage or a large extended family are particularly vulnerable to this pressure. Men are less influential and more open to suggestions of eliminating the practice of FGM than women. ConclusionFindings attest to the need for social research on ways to involve men in the promotion of FGM abandonment, building on their apparent openness to social change. Investigation is also needed on ways to marshal women’s social networks for offsetting their extended family familial roles in sustaining FGM practices.

Download Full-text