Female Genital Mutilation
Cultural Practice or Human Rights Violation?
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is the term used to refer to the removal of part, or all, of the female genitalia. The procedure consists of a clitoridectomy in which all, or part, of the clitoris is removed, excision which involves the removal of all, or part, of the labia minora, and the cutting of the labia majora to create raw surfaces, which are then stitched or held together in order to form a cover over the vagina when they heal. A small hole is left to allow urine and menstrual blood to escape.
An estimated 135 million of the world’s girls and women have undergone genital mutilation. Around 6,000 per day are at risk.
The practice of female genital mutilation has been found to be deep rooted in the culture and tradition of people throughout Africa. Recent studies by CASEC, African Initiatives’ partner in Tanzania, have highlighted the perceptions and attitudes of those involved in the practice. Understanding this is necessary if the practice of FGM is to be stopped.
Lasting damage to the genital area as a result of FGM can increase the risk of HIV transmission during intercourse.
FGM practices are mostly done to small girls between the ages of a month to 10 years. This is due to the fact that the practices are prohibited by the government, and the traditional female genital mutilators are said to have started mutilating even baby girls because babies are unable to report and object.
An Outdated Tradition
The majority of traditional female genital mutilators (Ngariba) are women, most of them above 40 years of age. When asked how the community perceives them, traditional female genital mutilators said that the community takes them as good and important people and accept their activities as female genital mutilators and respect them for what they are doing in the community. However, a few of them agreed that some people, especially the new generation are not accepting their role as traditional mutilators.
FGM is reportedly practiced in more than 28 African countries
Women, particularly old women, are perceived as the key group that encourages FGM practices in the community. Some young men, especially from the Waarusha and Maasai communities (Morani – the warrior age-group) also encourage FGM practices. Normally Morani preferred to marry girls who had undergone FGM and not otherwise.
Those engaged in the practice of Female Genital mutilation claim that women or girls who have undergone FGM are more respected compared to those who have not and that the practice can help women to settle into their marriage. Women or girls who had not undergone FGM are often perceived as uncivilized and dirty, particularly by their fellow women or girls who have already undergone FGM. Often, women who have not undergone FGM are considered to be against their traditional values.
A form of child abuse?
CASEC believes that from a human rights perspective, female genital mutilation cannot be viewed in isolation from other forms of violation, oppression and discrimination against women and children. It can be viewed as another form of children abuse. It can also be viewed as educational, economical and developmental issue. Therefore addressing the issue of genital mutilation requires collaborative approach by involving all key stakeholders including human right activists, religious and traditional leaders, NGOs, and government.
An estimated 10% of women in Tanzania have undergone FGM, approximately 1,345,000.
“We should eradicate Female genital Mutilation [since] it is an inhumane practice which involves brutality and a violation of human rights. It is a painful act which affects a woman directly amd psychologically throughout all her life time.”
Warieli M. Mbise, male farmer, aged 64
“Female Genital Mutilation is a dangerous act, as it involves the use of unsterilized tools like a shared knife and razor blade. This practice can increase the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases like tetanus.”
Rozi Peter, female farmer, aged 40
Success on FGM in Northern Ghana
In the Upper East Region of Ghana, community members now talk openly about Female Genital Mutilation and the negative consequences associated with it. That wasn’t the case just two years ago when the Zuuri Organic Vegetable Farmers Association (ZOVFA) began its reproductive health programme. Community members often refused to talk about the issue and how it affected them. Women remained somber in discussions, while men remained adamant of the need for it.
The women felt strongly about wanting to prevent FGM. In those same communities, however, the men did not feel that FGM was a problem. “When a girl is circumcised, she will be respectable so that when she meets her husband, he will know that she is decent – but if she has not been circumcised, he will see a difference in her – she will not behave decently.”
The pervasive belief in the Binduri area is that babies born to mothers that have not been genitally mutilated will surely die. The practice is so entrenched that if a baby girl is born and dies soon after birth, genital mutilation will be carried out so that she is buried a full woman.
One woman stated “I have seen women suffer during childbirth. I saw a woman in agony because her vagina was stuck together. They had to use a razor blade to cut her open for the baby to come out.”
It was initially believed that adults in the community encouraged the practice. However, there have been cases reported where young girls travel to other areas to have the procedure performed without parental permission. Many young girls indicate that their male peers mock them when they are uncircumcised saying that their ‘cups are full’ and are therefore unmarriageable until they ‘go and offload’.
ZOVFA worked, not to condemn the practice but to encourage community members to make their own decisions about FGM without fear of stigma or reproach. This is, in effect, empowering women to exercise their sexual rights by advocating for them to decide freely on aspects of their sexuality and to protect their sexual and reproductive health.
Then a breakthrough. One of the traditional women, and an advocate of FGM, came out publicly against FGM. This immediately changed attitudes and mothers are now stating their intention not to have their daughters circumcised. Men in the community are also advocating for change. In a community meeting a man stated “We now know that FGM can cause difficult labour and other effects. We have to educate the people against it as we, the men, will bear the consequences”.
A positive result for women and recognition to ZOVFA’s participatory approach of working within cultural structures. The traditional women’s leader has now gone on to get training as a community mid-wife – with the support of ZOVFA.