Health workers urged to identify women at risk of female genital mutilation

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-6
Author(s):  
Jennifer Sprinks
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Female Genital Mutilation ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
Female Genital

scholarly journals Estimating the indirect prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Switzerland

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Cottler-Casanova ◽  
Jasmine Abdulcadir
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Female Genital Mutilation ◽  
Prevalence Data ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
The Past ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Prevalence Estimates ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Female Genital

Abstract ObjectiveTo update the indirect prevalence estimates for women and girls living with Female Genital Mutilation Cutting (FGM/C) in Switzerland, using data from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office of migrant women and girls born in one of the 30 high-prevalence FGM/C countries that are currently living in Switzerland. MethodsWe used Yoder and Van Baelen’s “Extrapolation of FGM/C Countries’ Prevalence Data” method, where we applied DHS and MICS prevalence figures from the 30 countries when FGM/C is practiced, and applied them to the immigrant women and girls living in Switzerland from the same 30 countries.ResultsIn 2010, the estimated indirect prevalence was 9,059 whereas in 2018, the estimated indirect prevalence was 21,706 women and girls living with or at risk of FGM/C.ConclusionOver the past decade, there have been significant increases in the number of estimated women and girls living with or at risk of FGM/C in Switzerland due to the increase in the total number of women and girls originally coming form the countries where the practice of FGM/C is traditional.

scholarly journals Review of Web-Based Toolkits for Health Care Practitioners Working With Women and Girls Affected by or at Risk of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 215013272093529
Author(s):  
Hina Shaikh ◽  
Karen A. McDonnell
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Female Genital Mutilation ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Skills Development ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
Rich Diversity ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
Female Genital

Increased migration has given rise to more advocacy efforts against female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C), legislation that criminalizes the practice, and guidance to the health sector for managing care of affected groups. More women and girls who have been cut or who are at risk of FGM/C are migrating from regions where it is common to countries where it is not and interacting with health professionals and other community practitioners in these host countries. Despite numerous studies on the negative health impacts of FGM/C, little is known about toolkits on FGM/C that providers can use in their prevention and response efforts. We sought to explore the nature of Internet-based products referenced as toolkits and materials characteristic of toolkits aimed at different service providers who may interact with women and girls affected by FGM/C. Through an online search, we identified 45 toolkits and collected data about each one. We found that the toolkits targeted different audiences and offered a diverse set of information and resources. The majority of toolkits were aimed at health professionals and provided factual and epidemiological-focused content, yet many did not include research evidence, skills development application, or approaches for implementing the toolkit in practice. This review is the first completed in the area of FGM/C to show a rich diversity of online materials. Future toolkits can be improved with the provision of evidence-based information and practical skills development for use by health professionals in implementing best practices in working with women and girls affected by FGM/C.

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 Daughters at Risk of Female Genital Mutilation: Examining the Determinants of Mothers’ Intentions to Allow Their Daughters to Undergo Female Genital Mutilation

PLoS ONE ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e0151630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tahereh Pashaei ◽  
Koen Ponnet ◽  
Maryam Moeeni ◽  
Maryam Khazaee-pool ◽  
Fereshteh Majlessi
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Female Genital Mutilation ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
Female Genital

scholarly journals Estimating the indirect prevalence of female genital mutilation/cutting in Switzerland

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Cottler-Casanova ◽  
J. Abdulcadir
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Female Genital Mutilation ◽  
Migrant Women ◽  
Prevalence Data ◽  
Genital Mutilation ◽  
The Past ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
Women And Girls ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Female Genital

Abstract Background We updated the indirect estimates for women and girls living with Female Genital Mutilation Cutting (FGM/C) in Switzerland, using data from the Swiss Federal Statistical Office of migrant women and girls born in one of the 30 high-prevalence FGM/C countries that are currently living in Switzerland. Methods We used Yoder and Van Baelen’s “Extrapolation of FGM/C Countries’ Prevalence Data” method, where we applied DHS and MICS prevalence figures from the 30 countries where FGM/C is practiced, and applied them to the immigrant women and girls living in Switzerland from the same 30 countries. Results In 2010, the estimated number of women and girls living with or at risk of FGM/C in Switzerland was 9059, whereas in 2018, we estimated that 21,706 women and girls were living with or at risk of FGM/C. Conclusion Over the past decade, there have been significant increases in the number of estimated women and girls living with or at risk of FGM/C in Switzerland due to the increase in the total number of women and girls originally coming form the countries where the practice of FGM/C is traditional.

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.

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