Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C)
Female genital mutilation or female genital cutting are used interchangeably. However, this practice is practised in many countries around the world and is predominantly practised in some countries more than the other. The practice has been criminalised, however, there are several factors that impede the fight against FGM. Some of these impeding factors are cultural beliefs and religious misconceptions.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_genital_mutilation
There are physical and psychological impacts of FGM/C on women's well-being. However, not much about these health hazards/challenges have been attended to.
Questions:
Q. 1. What is the essence of this practice?
Q. 2. Are there any physical, psychological, or spiritual benefits of this practice on women?
Q. 3. What role does cultural beliefs play in the practice or prevention of FGM/C?
Q. 4. What role does religion play in the campaign against this practice?
Q. 5. What role do men play in the fight against FGM?
Q. 6. How have survivors of FGM/C been taken care of? = psychologically or socially integrated into the community to join the fight against ending the practice?
You may mention my name as a campaigner/activist against the practice if you like but due to some other activities I am not able to be present for now.
Thank you very much.
Dear author, thank you for sharing this excellent question.
Good luck.
Answers to the most of these questions are already in introductory anthropological textbooks, including gender studies. There are many anthropological/ethnographic studies on female genital cutting. One of the textbooks is:
Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective (7th Edition)
Edited By Caroline B. Brettell & Carolyn F. Sargent
Chapter 28: Female Genital Cutting: Moving Forward on Abolition (pp.398-412)
https://www.routledge.com/Gender-in-Cross-Cultural-Perspective/Brettell-Sargent/p/book/9781138216648
@H M Ashraf Ali thank you for your contribution and supporting links. Very useful and invaluable information.
Best wishes,
Muhammad
When I studied anthropology, I learned that we need to "understand" cultures and rites that are totally different from my culture, Europe. And understand it from a traditional, ideological point of view... For me female mutilation is ethically incorrect because I have been brought up and raised in a different reality and with different values where the integrity of the person and the rights to it prevail, but it is necessary to question the origin of this rite and why. As a student yet, I think one possible solution may be to try to take these cases of extreme traditions, a different initiative where it is explained from the analytical, biological knowledge... how it can affect the person, in this case the woman and thus make a new ideology born of them, which remains part of its authenticity as a culture and tradition but in a more sustainable way with the right to the person and his integrity.
Here is a link for important Video Documentary on Female Genital Cutting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWIzaD4-_y4
This is another powerful video documentary on the end of female genital cutting in Africa:
Africa rising. [videorecording] : the grassroots movement to end female genital mutilation.
2009 ( Heredia, Paula )
H M Ashraf Ali and Vincent O. Nyangaresi Thank you very much for your kind support!
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Computer Science
- Research Topics