Research Sources : Sociocultural Barriers Data Essay

FGM are “procedures which involve partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital or organs for non-medical reasons” World Health Organisation (2016) and encompasses four different forms: Clitoridectomy (removal of clitoris), excision (removal of clitoris and labia minora and with/without the labia majora), infibulation (narrowing of the vaginal opening) and other non-medical harmful procedures i.e. piercing (NHS 2016). Girls and women can be vulnerable to FGM due to their age as FGM is largely carried out on young girls, the association that FGM is a cultural tradition and it is expected for all girls and women to have FGM within these communities and a lack of education for

Throughout history, there has been a controversial argument on whether female genital mutilation should be banned from Africa. Some people describe female genital mutilation or FGM as a violation of women’s rights and others view it as served for a religious purpose having to do with the Islamic holy book, the Qur’an. Female Genital Mutilation is the removal of all or part of the external parts of the female genitalia. There are three different types of FGM; the first type of FGM is the Sunna Circumcision which is the removal of the tip of the clitoris. The second type is Clitoridectomy which is the removal of the entire clitoris and the adjacent labia. The third type is Infibulation which is the removal of the clitoris and the entire labia including the labia majora and minora. After the removal of the entire labia, the joining of the scraped sides are brought together using thorns or catgut, leaving only a small portion open for menstruation and urinating. Africa has the highest rates of FGM being performed. About 100 million women and girls are affected by FGM and at least 3 million girls are at risk undergoing this process every year. FGM is usually carried out by an elderly woman who is paid fees from the family of the girl undergoing this process (P.a.p.-Blog par. 2, 4). Female Genital Mutilation is usually performed on girl between the ages of three and adulthood. According to the UNICEF or United

In the United States, there are many laws that protect and support the choice and free will of its people. Broadly speaking, you get to choose what you wear, who you worship; if you choose to at all, and finally what happens to your own body. However, that is not the case for many foreign regions, such as the twenty eight African countries where FGM has a major impact, along with certain parts of Asia and the Middle East, where the practice of FGM or (Female Genitalia Mutilation) takes place (Yasin et al 2).

100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide are living with the consequences of FGM.

The scope of this research is focused only on FGM for among all the kinds/types of mutilation, FGM are the most studied and controversial kind/type of mutilation.

The practice of female circumcision is happening in areas across the globe such as Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The United states and Serval others counties look at this as a vicious act of genital mutilation and an outright human rights violation (Clay, 2017, p.g.22). The practice of female circumcision has gone on for years as a cultural rite of passage in some countries. Other countries see it as a religious belief and others see it as a way to make their daughter more desirable for a husband The author reports that even through in the United States that many women more than half a million are still at risk of having their genital cut from the CDC reports in 2012 (Clay, 2017,

Female genital mutilation (FGM) also known as female circumcision is a tradition passed down from generation to generation occurring all around the world affecting millions of women and young girls. FGM is controversial matter most prevalent in Africa (Ahanonu and Victor, 2014). To this day it’s estimated that about 28 African countries still practice this ritual including Nigeria (Ahanonu and Victor, 2014). In the past twenty years there has been a worldwide increased interest in FGM due to its multiplicity and lifelong effects. Some people believe FGM violates basic human rights where others believe this ritual is required to increase their chances of marriageability and that this practice is a transition from adolescents into adulthood

The subject of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) reminds me of the severity of FGM as well as its ties with culture and religion in Ethiopia - my country of origin. The issue personally affects me because it stirs up very unpleasant memories and thoughts. I remembered my oldest female cousins and neighbors going through this kind of practice twenty years ago. I even remember the women who executed the procedure. Like many of the people who carry out female circumcision, this woman was not medically trained to perform the procedure, nor did she use proper medical equipments and anesthesia. The majority of the people who support female circumcision use their religious and cultural values to explain their support for FGM. However, FGM is a brutal practice that exposes women to extreme pain and possible risk

From a scientific standpoint there are many benefits in receiving FGM reversal surgery. It allows women to give birth naturally(not having to give birth through C-section), urinate and menstruate comfortably, and restores sexual feeling . There are many physical health concerns that are associated with FGM. Some of these health concerns include haemorrhage, urinary problems, menstrual disorders, infections from unsterile instruments, ulceration of the genital area, sexual dysfunction, infertility, and pregnancy and birth complications. In some cases girls or women die as a result of FGM, however there are few medical records on this because the practice of FGM is rarely reported to authorities. The psychological research on the impacts of

A gender related issue that Americans are facing is Female Genital Mutilation, or FGM. It is a procedure that removes all or part of external female genitalia and injuries other female genital organs for nonmedical purposes. FGM is usually performed for cultural reasons and to make girls more suitable for marriage. It is based on a deep-rooted inequality between males and females, and it is a violation of human rights. This affects family life because it can permanently scar and harm the girl and there are no medical health benefits from FGM. In cultures where this is practiced, girls are taught that this has to be done to make them suitable for a man and for marriage and adulthood. It can also cause tension in the family if it happens to a girl at a young age when she is not old enough to understand why this was done to her and if she learns at an older age that it was not necessary. This is a complex issue because is considered a human rights violation and it is illegal in the US, however it is still happening because some cultures feel that it is necessary to perform this on their daughters. Also, because it is illegal, it can be more dangerous to the girl and there are more health risks because it is most likely being done in secret or “under the table.” There are no pros to FGM and only cons because it will scar and harm the girls for life. It teaches them that they need to alter their bodies in order to be good enough for a man and there are extreme health risks

In certain societies and culture, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a rite of passage and the young girls are aware of the procedure (Nawal, 2008, pp. 135-139). Furthermore, the societies and cultures who partake in this procedure as a rite of passage, religious reasons, so the girls will not be promiscuous before they get married, so the men’s penis does not fall off, and men in certain societies would prefer their wife to be circumcised (Mascia-Lees 2010, pp. 159). Even though certain societies and cultures have their reasoning for performing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), FGM can cause medical, psychological, and pyscho-sexual consequences (Reyners, 2004, pp. 242-251). According to Reyners (2004) most of the girls and women who had Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) type three conducted, they tend to experience heavily affected reproductive and urological functioning. Furthermore, according to Reyners (2004) also recommended if any woman is pregnant and has had any form of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) done, they should be monitored for their safety as well as the infants.

It is considered to be, in certain countries a surgical/medical intervention performed by doctors and other medical professionals and there is an ethical dilemma here because there are deeply held social and religious beliefs. An important question to ask is should the medical profession refuse to perform FGM? In this country it is illegal but in countries where it is not, refusal may be considered to be a violation of social morality. Just because a particular culture engages in a specific activity it does not make it ethically justified, but FGM is rooted in the history of culture and ‘sociological and historic considerations that focus on belief systems and cultural values do not address whether it is ethically defensible’ (Kluge, et

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has often been viewed as a rite of passage for women in various countries within Africa, South America, the Middle East and Asia. However, due to societal norms and pressures, whether it based in culture or religion, forces women to partake in a practice that has serious health risks and takes away the rights of women who believe they have no other choice. The Universal Declaration of Human rights are applicable to all member states including most of the countries that still practice FGM. However, despite claiming that the human rights set forth would be observed as obligated in terms of their memberships, FGM violates numerous rights and freedoms that claim to be recognized but, are not known to the people.

Female circumcision, also known as Female genital mutilation, or female genital cutting is a custom that has sparked controversy among many people belonging to other cultures not accustomed to the practice. Within the argument lay a series of debates surrounding the issue as culture and tradition clash with human rights over whether or not this practice should be allowed. Advocates against the practice draw on the prevalence, perceptions, and reasons for conducting FGM to combat what they believe is a human rights issue.

FGM is upheld by traditional values and principles. In countries including, Sierra Leone, and Kenya, FGM is culturally valued as a rite of passage to womanhood. Whereas, in Sudan, Somalia, and Egypt where marriage is fundamental to a woman’s social and economic survival, FGM is a precondition to marriage and is valued as a means of preserving a young girl’s virginity until she is married. FGM is a detrimental custom, guided by inter-generational attitudes. Uncircumcised young girls in these cultures is taboo. It is evident, FGM is entrenched in culture, and “we live in a world shaped by the culture to which we belong. We owe our very modes of thinking and assessment to it…chance too has a part in the events that confront us in our life and often stand in our way. We do not act in a vacuum and so we cannot be free in a vacuum”. Meaning, systematically, people have loss of freedom. FGM is oppressive through societal expectations and norms. Proponents may argue that FGM is traditional and necessary due to being a