Female genital mutation (FGM), or female circumcision, is the operation to remove the clitoris, “seal” the vagina or other interventions aimed at limiting the sexual activity of a woman.

This barbaric procedure, often performed in unsanitary conditions with primitive tools and without anesthesia, causes irreparable physical and psychological harm, and sometimes ends in death..

“Since female circumcision is not practiced in the West, we can prejudice the pros and cons of this method. We have little girls protected from genital mutation by law. Unfortunately, this protection does not apply to boys, ”says expert Sarah Robinson.

Professor Brian Morris rejected this argument, saying in an interview with Medical News Today: “So-called female circumcision is harmful, and anatomically it is not the equivalent of male procedure. If that were the case, then the entire penis would be circumcised. Female circumcision has no medical benefits, only harm. Trying to balance these two things is one of the opponents' cunning tactics. ”.

Both doctors and community organizations seek to separate female circumcision from male circumcision, which today remains a popular practice in many countries, including the United States, due to some medical benefits..

FGM, on the other hand, has never been associated with the health benefits of a circumcised woman. This procedure in certain cultures is performed only because of traditions - especially in rural areas of East Africa (Somalia, Eritrea).

The opinions “for” and “against” when discussing this procedure are born out of ambiguous and conflicting ideas about social values \u200b\u200band the role of genders. Western attempts to influence this practice are very cautious, because any reforms come up against fierce resistance from conservative bearers of traditions.

Why is female circumcision today under scrutiny?

Recently, the practice of female mutation has become a problem not only because of the danger to women's health, but also because of discussions about the violation of human rights.

The top five countries for the prevalence of female circumcision:.

Somalia - 98% of girls.

Guinea - 96%.

Djibouti - 93%.

Egypt - 91%.

Eritrea - 89%.

Today, the FGM is a hot topic in the UK, whose government launched the first program to end such practices in the Kingdom. Thanks to the media, the government managed to attract public attention to the problem.. People began to see that this was a common misfortune in their country, and not an exotic rite preserved in isolated corners of the planet.

For example, 140,000,000 women around the world are living with the effects of mutation, and approximately 66,000 are in the UK.. Sources say that in 2009, approximately 4,000 women and girls were hospitalized in London hospitals with the consequences of FGM - nightmare figures for a civilized western capital.

In March of this year, the UK attorney general announced the first prosecution under the Female Genital Mutilation Act, which has been in force since 1985..

American media report that the British debate on mutation is particularly difficult due to the migration policies of the Kingdom and the huge number of immigrants from Africa and the Middle East who seek to adhere to their traditions on European soil.

However, on April 18, 2014, the U.S. Public Affairs Bureau announced the GBV Initiative.. The press release said: “Under the leadership of President Barack Obama, the United States has introduced gender equality and the advancement of women into its foreign policy framework.”.

The GBV Initiative should counteract female circumcision as well as forced marriage, honor killings, killing of newborn girls, child sexual abuse, pimping and other forms of gender-based violence.

Although this policy has not yet taken on a clear outline, and even in the United States, the practice of female mutation has not been completely eradicated, a list of priority countries that should receive assistance in the near future to combat FGM. These are mainly countries in Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and Latin America.

Is it possible to prohibit female mutation by law?

Some progress has been made in reforming countries with centuries-old traditions of the FGM. But the upcoming report of World Vision - the world's largest children's charitable organization - on how local communities perceive such reforms is not encouraging.

In Kenya and Ethiopia, for example, female mutation is now illegal. But instead of lowering the frequency of FGM, these measures, according to World Vision, simply drive barbarous traditions underground. The consequences - circumcision by unskilled “specialists” with an increased risk to health.

FGM Obstetric Risks:.

• In infibulated women, the risk of postpartum hemorrhage is increased by 70%.

• Infibulated women are 30% more likely to have a cesarean section than women without FGM.

• Mortality among children born to infibulated women is 55% higher.

Mutational Risk Information Campaigns Partially Successful in Somalia. At least, local communities have moved away from the wildest practice of infibulation, in which the clitoris is removed and the vagina is “sealed” in such a way that sexual intercourse is impossible. It is opened only before the wedding in order to fulfill a genital function. Despite all efforts, clitorectomy continues to be practiced in these parts - removal of the clitoris.

For centuries, these crippling operations have been used as one of the main tools for maintaining the “purity” of girls. Girls who have not undergone a severe procedure look in the eyes of the tribe as more accessible for sexual pleasures, and therefore less suitable for marriage. They are often abused and driven out of the community..

In a 2010 report, UNICEF explained that female mutation is not seen as child abuse in communities that practice FGM. On the contrary, there, parents look at this rite as a way to “protect their daughters and give them the maximum chance to acquire worthy social status and economic security in the future”.

Female circumcision violates a woman’s right to health, safety and physical integrity.

In the same UNICEF report, the organization’s clear position is stated that female genital mutation violates women's fundamental rights to health, safety and physical integrity, their right to be protected from torture and the right to life, since the procedure can be fatal.

Although it should not be considered violent, the report recalls that the FGM “is discriminatory and puts girls and women in a lower position in the family and society”. This causes unique problems in the upbringing of the community; therefore, alternative ceremonies are proposed that could replace such harmful practices.

UNICEF emphasizes that this process should not begin with individuals, but with the entire community. Change must be disseminated through education until a sufficiently large proportion of people are ready to give up FGM practice.

For this plan to succeed, they argue, community members must be rewarded for not mocking their children.. And it’s very important that the community believes in such changes..

Building community dialogue on FGM, sexual health and the role of genders.

In the Ethiopian region, an organization formed by a pair of local sisters who have undergone circumcision - KGM-Ethiopia - has adopted a new and, it must be said, successful approach.

In 1997, when KGM began working in its area, the fear of AIDS held down the whole country.. Community leaders want to know how to curb the spread of an invisible threat in the region.

KGM organized a “public dialogue” where one man and one woman were selected from each village who studied at KGM and led the weekly community debate.. Topics discussed include sexual health, relationships, gender rights, and female circumcision and related threats..

KGM also invested in community development. They built bridges, supplied first-aid posts, planted trees and built educational institutions. By 2004, the marriage of uncircumcised girls in this region turned into great festivities, in which the number of participants reached hundreds and thousands of people.

Over a 9-year period, public support led to the fact that in the Kembato-Tembaro region, from which KGM began work, the frequency of female mutation decreased by 97%, i.e. the wild rite almost disappeared.

World Vision has reported some success with similar tactics in other communities.. For example, it was possible to persuade to abandon the ceremony in exchange for giving the family a few goats, which here provide an alternative opportunity to earn a living.

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