Ritual Female Genital Operation (Female Circumcision)

In an instant, my view of female circumcision changed forever.

There is no definite information on the existence of female genital mutilation in Pakistan.

I went ahead with my plan and witnessed a girl being circumcised.

Having been circumcised herself at the age of seven, Gamal understood all too well the uselessness and harm of female genital mutilation (FGM).

The practice of FGM C remains widespread in parts of Africa.

As they've become more aware of the hazards and futility of the surgery, young mothers in Egypt have played a central role in fighting FGM.

Enactment and effective enforcement of laws that prohibit female genital mutilation and marriage of girl children.

Ms. Borgia (Italy) said that the issue of female genital mutilation had been discussed by the Government, the Parliament, non governmental organizations and immigrant women from countries where it was practised.

As reported to the Centre for Islamic Pluralism by the non governmental organization Stop FGM in Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq, on 25 November, officially admitted the wide prevalence in the territory of female genital mutilation (FGM).

So one August, during my school holidays, I decided to learn more about female genital circumcision.

Rashad attended one of these campaigns before and heard this scholar say that FGM is religiously prohibited.

A bill thereon had been passed by the Chamber of Deputies in May 2004 and female genital mutilation would be defined as a separate crime.

Likewise, the tradition of female circumcision is still a common practice in African countries such as Guinea, Sudan, Mali, Somalia, and Eritrea, where more than 85 of young women suffer from it.

Al Azhar scholars and Christian clerics have repeatedly said that FGM is not a religious duty, but rather a centuries old habit.

Vivian Fouad, coordinator of the National Programme Against FGM, speaking to Global Voices at her office in the National Population Council.

FGC is least prevalent in the regions of Tigray and Gambela, where 29 and 27 of girls and women, respectively, are affected.

Vivian Fouad, coordinator of the National Program against FGM, says the practice will gradually vanish with increasing awareness and tougher penalties against perpetrators.

But punishment for the perpetrators of female circumcision remains rare. The practice persists, despite legal bans.

The amendments also reclassified FGM from a misdemeanor (where offenders usually receive up to two years in prison) to a felony, which incurs tougher sentences and punishments.

It will take years, but we can't stop our fight against FGM. And younger generations are on the front lines in that fight, she added.

The study concerns four populations where female circumcision occurs on a large scale Somalis, Eritreans, Egyptians and Sudanese.

Of all the problematic cultural issues facing human rights organizations, female genital mutilation was one of the most difficult practices to eliminate.

Although it carries the risk of bleeding to death and may lead to an array of physical and psychological problems, FGM continues, especially in Egypt's rural and marginalized regions.

She sat on mud floors and sandy village commons to hear from these communities about their issues and priorities, and she took on controversial and culturally sensitive subjects, such as female genital mutilation and bride burning.

The secular state, supported by feminist groups and some transnational non governmental organizations, banned female genital mutilation in 1999, without triggering massive Muslim protests.

Laila and her sister did not know what to do, but Laila heard that a highly trusted Muslim scholar would visit their village as part of an awareness campaign on FGM organized by one of the country s NGOs.

The organization lists its primary concerns as being rape, domestic violence, reproductive rights, trafficking of women, female genital mutilation, and equal access for women to economic opportunity and political participation.

Earlier this month, the parliament toughened penalties against FGM, adopting amendments that punish perpetrators with up to 15 years in prison if a girl dies, and up to seven years simply for performing the surgery.

Its activities in the field of female circumcision include efforts to strengthen prevention focused on the groups at risk and to increase the knowledge and expertise of relevant professions in the fields of care, education and police work.

Egypt outlawed FGM in 2008. Eight years later, women s rights activists and non governmental organizations say mothers' attitudes about the procedure have transformed, and the number of circumcised girls is down.

Also, when women sought asylum, could they act autonomously or must their petition be linked to that of their husbands and were threats of forced marriage or of female genital mutilation considered grounds for granting asylum?

In the last decade, Fakhr El Deen s union, along with other non profit groups and government agencies, have been intensifying their awareness campaigns against FGM among mothers, school children, doctors, Muslim scholars, and Christian religious figures across the country.

Partially circumcised men had a 7 point greater risk of being HIV positive than fully circumcised men (P 0.05) and equal risk compared with uncircumcised men.

Former Prime Minister Michel Rocard did not mince words about Sarkozy s recent proposals to strip foreign born French nationals of their citizenship if convicted of threatening the life of a police officer, practicing polygamy, or female circumcision.

Western culture is shunned and traditional Kikuyu beliefs like female circumcision promoted.

It usually occurs between females and their offspring, but it is also significant between adult females.

So one August, during my school holidays, I decided to learn more about female genital circumcision. I decided to witness a girl undergoing the practice, and perhaps see her cry and bleed.

The practice persists, despite legal bans. As a child welfare officer in Narok told me, Unless attitudes are changed, efforts to stamp out the practice will be futile. quot

The Secret World of Female Circumcision

Other forms of female genital mutilation

where there can't be Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, bondservant, freeman but Christ is all, and in all.

Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free but Christ is all, and in all.

Also in females, he noticed that at certain points in the estrus cycle females recovered even more.

Ambassadors female 2 out of 35