Female Genital Mutilation: A hope for its end. An Overview

During human history we found several procedures which can be considered as strong attacks on the physical and psychological integrity of human communities. Amongst these procedures are male and female genital mutilation. We have selected for this manuscript female genital mutilation (FGM) because we have personal knowledge of this practice in Africa and as there is today a growing perception on the necessity of to stop FGM, we want to share our experience of the knowledge of FGM. Effectively, some years ago, when we were working in research projects in Angola (West Africa) we were present at ceremonies (not the act) of female genital mutilation (FGM, whose popular name in Angola is “fanado”) by invitation of the community where the FGM was carried out, and we can transmit the following : (i) the images then seen remain in our memory -men, women and the young had vestments with many colors and adornments of metal, straw etc, were singing and dancing with strong energy ; (ii) the girls were stressed and fearful, thinking of their future suffering. Then, in this context, here we have as:1) general objective: to give our modest contribution to reinforce the necessity to end with the FGM practice, in that the dignity and rights of all girls are not respected; 2) particular objectives: (i) to show the negative repercussion of the FGM on girls concerning their physical and psychological health, since we are convinced that a genuine awareness of the gravity of the problems is an essential pre-condition for the implementation of any tangible measures for its end; (ii) to transmit the actual hope for the end of this procedure, considering, principally, that on 6 February 2019, WHO joins individuals, organizations, and UN partners worldwide in marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM [1]. To reach our objectives, we have selected information that we have considered as more relevant in the context of an edital.

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Female Genital Mutilation of African-Descent Iranians in Qeshm Island

10.21203/rs.3.rs-271786/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Amirbahram Arabahmadi

Keyword(s):

Psychological Health ◽

Female Genital Mutilation ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Qeshm Island ◽

Genital Mutilation ◽

Traditional Mode ◽

Physical And Psychological Health ◽

Physical Effects ◽

The Government ◽

Female Genital

Abstract Background: This article investigates the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) as a long-held custom in Qeshm Island, which makes many African-descended women face different physical and psychological health problems.Objective: To investigate the prevalence of female genital mutilation in Qeshm Island and the traditional mode of thinking of Afro-Iranian people of the Island about this practice.Methods: This study is based on the descriptive analysis method. The questions of the study are (a) Why female genital mutilation is still practiced in Qeshm Island; (b) What are the mental and physical effects of female genital mutilation on women; and (c) How government or NGOs are fighting against this tradition. The results: This article has found out that female genital mutilation resulted in many lifelong diseases and sexual degradation in African-descended women of Qeshm Island. This article also illustrates that the best way to combat this wrong tradition is to inform people by gradual training without any insult to their beliefs.Conclusion: This study reveals the prevalence of a false tradition and the necessity of behavioral change. In doing so, the government and NGOs' strong actions and attracting the support of the community elders are also needed.

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Female genital mutilation: what every paediatrician should know

Archives of Disease in Childhood ◽

10.1136/archdischild-2014-307234 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 101 (3) ◽

pp. 267-271 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Sarah M Creighton ◽

Deborah Hodes

Keyword(s):

Clinical Practice ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Female Genital Mutilation ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Genital Mutilation ◽

Global Problem ◽

Current Trends ◽

Physical And Psychological Health ◽

Female Genital

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is almost always performed on children and consequently paediatricians should have a central role in the detection and prevention of FGM. FGM has no health benefits and can cause lifelong damage to physical and psychological health. Extensive migration of FGM practising communities means that FGM is now a global problem. Paediatricians worldwide need to be familiar with the identification and classification of FGM and its impact upon health as well as current trends in practice. However information about FGM is hampered by the secrecy surrounding the procedure and a lack of rigorous evidence based research. This review summarises what is currently known about the health aspects of FGM and how paediatricians should manage children with FGM in their clinical practice.

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Women’s empowerment and female genital mutilation intention for daughters in Sierra Leone: a multilevel analysis

BMC Women s Health ◽

10.1186/s12905-021-01340-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Edward Kwabena Ameyaw ◽

Seun Anjorin ◽

Bright Opoku Ahinkorah ◽

Abdul-Aziz Seidu ◽

Olalekan A. Uthman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Sierra Leone ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Female Genital Mutilation ◽

Labour Force ◽

Women's Empowerment ◽

Wife Beating ◽

Women’S Empowerment ◽

Genital Mutilation ◽

Female Genital

Abstract Background Female genital mutilation is common in Sierra Leone. Evidence indicates that empowering women provides protective benefits against female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Yet, the relationship between women’s empowerment and their intention to cut their daughters has not been explored in Sierra Leone. The aim of this study was to assess the association between women’s empowerment and their intention to have their daughters undergo FGM/C in the country. Methods Data for this study are from the 2013 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey. A total of 7,706 women between the ages of 15 and 49 were included in the analysis. Analysis entailed generation of descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages), and estimation of multi-level logistic regression models to examine the association between women’s empowerment, contextual factors and their intentions to cut their daughters. Results A significantly higher proportion of women who participated in labour force reported that they intended to cut their daughters compared to those who did not (91.2%, CI = 90.4–91.9 and 86.0%, CI = 84.1–87.8, respectively). Similarly, the proportion intending to cut their daughters was significantly higher among women who accepted wife beating than among those who rejected the practice (94.9%, CI = 93.8–95.8 and 86.4% CI = 84.9–87.8, respectively). A significantly higher proportion of women with low decision-making power intended to cut their daughters compared to those with high decision-making power (91.0%, CI = 89.0–92.8 and 85.0% CI = 82.2–87.4, respectively). Results from multivariate regression analysis showed that the odds of intending to cut daughters were significantly higher among women who participated in labour force (aOR = 2.5, CI = 1.3–4.7) and those who accepted wife beating than among those who did not (aOR = 2.7, CI = 1.7–4.5). In contrast, the likelihood of intending to cut daughters was significantly lower among women with high than low knowledge (aOR = 0.4, CI = 0.3–0.7), and among those aged 45–49 than among those aged 15–19 (aOR = 0.2, CI = 0.0–0.6). Conclusion The findings underscore the need to align anti-FGM/C policies and programmes to women who have undergone FGM/C, those with low knowledge, women who support wife beating and young women. Such interventions could highlight the adverse implications of the practice by stressing the psychological, health and social implications of FGM/C on its survivors.

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Rethinking the Anti-FGM Zero-Tolerance Policy: from Intellectual Concerns to Empirical Challenges

Current Sexual Health Reports ◽

10.1007/s11930-020-00299-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 266-275

Author(s):

Sarah O’Neill ◽

Dina Bader ◽

Cynthia Kraus ◽

Isabelle Godin ◽

Jasmine Abdulcadir ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Female Genital Mutilation ◽

Zero Tolerance ◽

World Health ◽

Genital Mutilation ◽

Tolerance Strategy ◽

Zero Tolerance Policy ◽

Genital Cutting ◽

Definition Of ◽

Health Organization ◽

Female Genital

Abstract Purpose of Review Based on the discussions of a symposium co-organized by the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL) in Brussels in 2019, this paper critically reflects upon the zero-tolerance strategy on “Female Genital Mutilation” (FGM) and its socio-political, legal and moral repercussions. We ask whether the strategy is effective given the empirical challenges highlighted during the symposium, and also whether it is credible. Recent Findings The anti-FGM zero-tolerance policy, first launched in 2003, aims to eliminate all types of “female genital mutilation” worldwide. The FGM definition of the World Health Organization condemns all forms of genital cutting (FGC) on the basis that they are harmful and degrading to women and infringe upon their rights to physical integrity. Yet, the zero-tolerance policy only applies to traditional and customary forms of genital cutting and not to cosmetic alterations of the female genitalia. Recent publications have shown that various popular forms of cosmetic genital surgery remove the same tissue as some forms of “FGM”. In response to the zero-tolerance policy, national laws banning traditional forms of FGC are enforced and increasingly scrutinize the performance of FGC as well as non-invasive rituals that are culturally meaningful to migrants. At the same time, cosmetic procedures such as labiaplasty have become more popular than ever before and are increasingly performed on adolescents. Summary This review shows that the socio-legal and ethical inconsistencies between “FGM” and cosmetic genital modification pose concrete dilemmas for professionals in the field that need to be addressed and researched.

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Female Genital Mutilation (International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation Editorial Comment)

International Healthcare Research Journal ◽

10.26440/ihrj/01_11/141 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 1 (11) ◽

pp. 332-333

Author(s):

Ravneet Malhi

Keyword(s):

Editorial Comment ◽

Female Genital Mutilation ◽

Zero Tolerance ◽

Genital Mutilation ◽

Female Genital

International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation Editorial Comment by Dr. Ravneet Malhi

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Hegemonic Masculinity Attitudes Toward Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Among a Sample of College Students in Northern and Southern Sierra Leone

Journal of Transcultural Nursing ◽

10.1177/1043659619875499 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (5) ◽

pp. 468-478 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Eusebius Small ◽

Bonita B. Sharma ◽

Silviya Pavlova Nikolova ◽

Betty C. Tonui

Keyword(s):

Female Genital Mutilation ◽

Parental Education ◽

Hegemonic Masculinity ◽

Public Health Problem ◽

Female Students ◽

Chi Square ◽

Male And Female ◽

Genital Mutilation ◽

Section Design ◽

Female Genital

Introduction: Female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) is a public health problem. Approximately three million women and girls undergo FGM/C every year, worldwide. The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of education on hegemonic masculinity attitudes between male and female students and whether parental education differentiated the groups. Method: A cross-section design was used. Data were collected through a survey response from 338 students in May 2017. The data were analyzed using chi-square and correlational tests. Results: Education did not change the attitudes of students toward FGM/C (χ2 = 3.64, p = .16); however, parental education had an influence on both male and female students’ attitudes toward FGM/C. Discussion: The study suggests that education alone may not be sufficient to end FGM/C practice. A comprehensive community-led strategy incorporating culturally congruent health care to involve multiple parties of health professionals, religious leaders, government, and policy makers may be needed to address the problem.

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