Teaching About Female Genital Mutilation: Complex Question of Cultural Relativism and Preventive Movement

This study aims to investigate three things. First, how is the tendency of the perspective used in discussing the issue of female circumcision in society; second, what is the value base that distinguishes the practice of female circumcision in one society from another; and third, how each value base in the practice of female circumcision is realized or transformed in the feminist movement. The research was carried out with a qualitative approach where data were obtained using a literature study method by reading books, journal articles and various reports on the practice of female circumcision. The results show that studies that discuss the practice of female circumcision tend to be discussed in five perspectives, namely in the perspective of gender, culture, health, religion and law. In practice, female circumcision has a different value base from one society to another. The value bases used in female circumcision include women's initiation into adulthood; purification or cleansing, beautification; and female fertility. Different value bases become the basis for feminists to make efforts to prevent the practice of female circumcision, starting from the level of binding regulations to prevent the practice of female circumcision, community participatory dialogue to abandon the practice of female circumcision, and empowering women through education and the economy.

Female adolescents and the future of female genital mutilation/cutting: a report from an endemic area

Background: Despite collaborative efforts aimed at its eradication, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) continuesin endemic areas. Objective: To evaluate the experience and preparedness of female adolescents to protect their future daughters from FGM/C. Methods: A cross-sectional survey involving adolescent secondary school girls in North Central Nigeria. Participants were secondary school students who completed the study’s self-administered questionnaire after informed parental or participant’s consent. Data management was with SPSS 20.0 (IBM, USA), P-value <0.05 was significant. Results: There were 2000 participants aged 13-19 years (mean 15.56±1.75), prevalence of FGM/C was 35.0%, awareness was 86.1%, mutilation was performed between infancy and eight years of age (mean 3.85±3.24 years), 644(32.2%) desire to mutilatetheir future daughters, 722(36.1%) expressed support for FGM/C and 63.1% of victims of FM/C reported adverse post-mutilation experiences. Support for FGM/C was associated with low social class (P0.0010), opinion that FGM/C has benefit (P0.001) and desire to mutilate future daughters (P0.001) while awareness of efforts to eradicate FMG/C was 813(40.7%). Conclusion: FGM/C remains prevalent with potential support for its continuation among female adolescents despite reported adverse post-mutilation experiences. The multi-pronged approach to eradicate FGM/C should prioritize re-orientation for adolescent girls, rehabilitation of mutilated girls and girl child formal education. Keywords: Female genital mutilation/cutting; female circumcision, harmful traditional practices, adverse childhood experiences.

Female genital mutilation remains high in Senegal: an analysis of DHS 2018

Background Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting or female circumcision, threatens the health and well-being of millions of girls, women and their children across the globe. In Senegal, despite numerous health interventions, female genital mutilation is still a harmful practice. The objective of this study is to conduct a descriptive and analytical analysis of female genital mutilation practices in Senegal in 2018. Methods This study is a secondary analysis of the 2018 Senegal DHS. The analyses for this study were done on the Individual Records file. The DHS data covered 9414 women aged 15 to 49 years. A multivariate analysis was performed to consider confounding factors. The dependent variable was the existence of female genital mutilation in women. Data were analyzed with STATA 17 software. Results The prevalence of FGM was 17.18%. Women who had flesh removed from genital area represented 60.96% (1338), 29.39% (252) had genital area just nicked without removing any flesh, 6.88% (151) had genital area sown closed. Women who thought that FGM was justified by religion represented 11.52%. However, 80.59% of the women thought that it was a practice that should be stopped. The protective factors for the occurrence of FGM were women's empowerment factors (high level of education of the woman (primary ajOR=0.64 [0.50-0.83] and secondary ajOR=0.43 [0.32, 0.57]) and the fact that the head of the household is a woman ajOR (0.75 [0.59-0.97]); belonging to the central region of Senegal and the Christian religion (ajOr=0.05 [ 0.02-0.13]). The risk factors for female genital mutilation in Senegal were ethnicity and belonging to certain regions in the northeast and southeast of Senegal. Conclusions The prevalence of FGM in Senegal is still high. Ethnicity remains an important risk factor. Women's empowerment would allow the reduction of FGM. In the fight against FGM, politics should include women's autonomy strengthening like girls schooling. Key messages This study highlights the still significant extent of FGM. Women's empowerment factors would prevent these harmful traditional practices.

Knowledge and attitudes about reproductive health and HIV/AIDS among family planning clients

The knowledge of and attitudes towards reproductive health, and in particular STDs and AIDS, were assessed in 4000 women attending primary health care/family planning facilities in Alexandria, Egypt. In all, 66% did not know the significance of the term reproductive health and 50% considered female circumcision necessary. Of the 69% of women using contraceptives, 93% were using interuterine devices. The majority knew about AIDS but did not know that the use of condoms can prevent transmission of STDs, including HIV. A comprehensive programme should be initiated to increase public awareness of the issues of reproductive health

EXECUTION OF SENSITIZATION PROGRAMMES OF ADVENTIST RELIEF AGENCY ON FEMALE CIRCUMCISION IN NYAMIRA CONFERENCE OF SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS IN NYAMIRA COUNTY, KENYA

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which sensitization programmes of Adventist Relief Agency on female circumcision have been executed in Nyamira Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists in Nyamira County, Kenya. This study adopted a theoretical framework based on social change, social control theories. This study adopted mixed methods approach which includes both quantitative and qualitative methods which encompassed concurrent triangulation. Concurrent triangulation enabled the researcher to adopt descriptive survey research design. The target population in this study was 7 Conference management staff, 3 ADRA programme implementation officers, 60 church pastors and 700 church lay leaders. The sample size consisted of 18 church pastors and 210 lay leaders which was 30% of the target population whereas all the 7 Nyamira Conference management staff members and the 3 ADRA programme implementation officials were purposively included in the study. The study used questionnaires and oral interviews to collect data from the respondents. A pilot study was conducted for reliability and validity of the research instruments. The instruments were piloted in the churches within Nyamira Conference whose pastors and lay leaders did not participate in the study utilizing simple random sampling to select respondents. To ensure reliability of the findings, the data was subjected to cronbanch alpha index. The Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.7878 was obtained and this implied that the research instruments were reliable and therefore the researcher adopted the research instruments. It was established that there were sensitization programmes on female circumcision in Nyamira County. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that there is need to support the sensitization programmes of Adventist Relief Agency on female circumcision in Nyamira Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists in Nyamira County. Based on the findings of this study it was recommended that the Nyamira Conference management of the Seventh Day Adventist church should strive to encourage and support the sensitization programmes by the Adventist Relief Agency on female circumcision in the area of jurisdiction. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0778/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Kritik Sanad Hadis Khitan Terhadap Perempuan sebagai Kehormatan

Hadith relating to woman circumcision as honor used as the argument in the MUI fatwa number 9a of 2008 has received a lot of criticisms. Thus, it is important to re-research as a form of follow-up to the previous research. This research is a research library with critical analytical methods on the hadith sanad with the aim of knowing with certainly the quality and quantity of hadith and its authenticity. Based on the results of the study, it was found that there were ten transmission routes listed by the four mukharrij rulers; that is; Ahmad bin Hanbal, Ibn Abi Syaibah, al-Tabrani, and al-Baihaqi. Of the ten lines of transmission, seven are hadiths marf'u and three lines of hadith mauqū f. In terms of quantity ('adad al-ṭuruq), this hadith is classified as a famous hadith because it is narrated by a minimum of four narrators in each sanad ṭabaqah (level). Meanwhile, in terms of quality, this hadith is defined as a very weak hadith (ḍa'īf jiddan) because of the inherent defects involved in the narration. Thus it cannot be used as the main argument to justify circumcision against women and also cannot be used as an argument for woman circumcision for reasons of honor. This hadith can only be a reinforcement of the authentic and hasan traditions which talk about female circumcision. The inclusion of this hadith in the MUI fatwa as the main argument for justifying circumcision for women needs to be reviewed considering that this hadith is very weak..

Anti-FGM discourses as constructed by NGOS in the Maasai community in Kenya

This Major Research Paper conducted a critical discourse analysis of a documentary produced by NTV Kenya and AMREF Africa about eradicating Female Circumcision in the Maasai community in Kenya. This research sought to understand how the documentary constructed anti female genital mutilation (FGM) discourse. The main discourses were colonialism, saving the Maasai girl, and double patriarchy as is constructed by International NGOs. These discourses became evident through the language used, images displayed on the screen, gendered power relations and who is benefiting from these. Using the Maasai Female Experience (MFE) as a theoretical lens, I placed emphasis on how Maasai women are treated in the anti-FGM campaigns which is driven by international NGOs. African centered worldviews were also employed in this study by the use of MFE and Afrocentric theory of social change. Community development workers and social workers need to consider these discourses while working with Maasai women. They must be conscious about reproducing oppressive practices and stereotypes that has historically been used to marginalize Maasai women.