Here's How We're Making Progress In Ending Female Genital Mutilation

by Guest Sat Feb 20, 2016 12:08 pm

"Nearly every country that has reduced FGM has used initiatives to change the way communities see girls, marriageability and virginity."

A recent UN report pegged the number of victims of female genital mutilation around the world at 200 million. But beneath that figure lies some progress: In nearly every country, the percentage of girls who have had the procedure has decreased.
What's more, a majority of the population in all 30 countries surveyed -- both men and women -- think the practice, which is the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia -- should end.
Claudia Cappa, a lead author of the UNICEF report, told the Huffington Post that while each country has tackled FGM in its own way, a common theme among successful efforts is that they managed to reframe social mores around girls and women.
"Nearly every country that has reduced FGM has used initiatives to change the way communities see girls, marriageability and virginity," she said.
The new report pegs the number of FGM victims at 70 million higher than the previous estimate from 2014. The main reason for the increase is that Indonesia is included for the first time ever; nearly 60 million girls and women in the country have undergone FGM, which has no medical purpose or religious significance. It's a cultural practice in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Indonesia used in part to ensure premarital virginity.
The report includes the following successes in reducing FGM:

In Kenya, about 40 percent of women had the procedure in 1984, and now that number is less than 10 percent
In Egypt, a very "high-prevalence" country in terms of FGM, the rate decreased from 97 percent to 70 percent in the same period. "While 70 percent is still quite high, such decreases are even more significant in countries where FGM is almost universal, because you have to contend with more entrenched social mores," Cappa said.
Similarly, Liberia has slashed its FGM rates from 72 percent in 1983 to 31percent in 2013.

In all the countries that have achieved major opinion shifts toward FGM, a mix of public figures, government actions and NGOs have contributed efforts.
The efforts of the First Lady of Burkina Faso Chantal Compaore, for example, helped the UN pass a major anti-FGM resolution and slash the country's FGM rateby 31 percent. Cappa dubs such actions "macro-level" factors.
Legislation is another macro-level factor that helped the Gambia recently outlaw FGM, she pointed out.
"Legislation is very important because it sends a signal that the practice is no longer okay," she said. But she also pointed out that laws must be linked to practical interventions to stop the demand within families and communities for FGM. And many experts have pointed out that laws simply aren't enough since they aren't always followed or enforced.
In the court of public opinion, there are even more successes in the fight against FGM. According to the report's press release, more than 15,000 "communities and sub-districts" have publicly abandoned FGM, and five countries passed laws criminalizing it. And nearly two-thirds of boys and men in all countries disapprove of the practice.
Still, experts point out that the world's population, particularly in countries where FGM is prevalent, continues to grow. And even if current decline in the practice is maintained, the actual number of girls and women will increase over the next decade, according to the UNICEF report.
"Although measures to end FGM are proving to be more successful, the growing population in countries with higher prevalence means that numbers have increased... we cannot rest or lose momentum until every single girl at risk is protected," said Mary Wandis, an FGM Program Manager at Equality Now, in a press statement.
Still, it is significant that the perception of FGM has rapidly changed from a localized, Africa-specific issue to one of global concern, experts point out. "I am very hopeful that we can end FGM within our lifetime, and the data confirms that," Cappa said. "Social change requires time, but the amount of momentum towards FGM in recent years is remarkable."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/countries-fgm-progress_us_56c49cf6e4b0b40245c89036?ir=Good+News§ion=us_good-news&utm_hp_ref=good-news

by Original Quill Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:14 pm

All forms of genital mutilation are/should be a crime, including clitorectomy , circumcision, hoodectomy (prepuce reduction), labia rescission, or penectomy. There is an unhealthy association of the male and female genitalia with religion, extant in both the Judeo-Christian and Muslim traditions.

Unfortunately, in the west we are given to pointing the finger elsewhere. As we don't routinely practice female genital mutilation, but do routinely practice male genital mutilation, we have limited our criticism to FMG, and sculpt our headlines around that limited perspective and criticism of African cultures.

I don't know if it is because Africa has a predominance of Muslims, or simply a general bias toward anything African, but we always seem to find cause to criticize Africa. Until the Judeo-Christian tradition rids itself of such duplicitous ethnocentrism it will hard to convince the rest of the world that anything is wrong. It's too easy for the rest of the world to chalk it up to western arrogance.

Just because you are a technologically superior nation doesn't mean you can command the waves to stop.

by Syl Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:33 pm

Dispicable barbaric practice, and it happens here too.

Figures are not known because of the secrecy involved, but some girls have this done to them in the school holidays so they will be healed enough when the new term starts.

by Major Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:36 pm

Syl wrote:Dispicable barbaric practice, and it happens here too.

Figures are not known because of the secrecy involved, but some girls have this done to them in the school holidays so they will be healed enough when the new term starts.

I go along with Syl on this one and add it should be a criminal offence here with minimum 10 years inside and immediate deportation if not A British white citizen.

by Original Quill Sat Feb 20, 2016 4:44 pm

All genital mutilation should be a criminal violation. If it's done on children there should be enhancements for child abuse. Here in America the female genital mutilation is not as prevalent as male genital mutilation, so it doesn't get the attention it gets in Europe.

In San Francisco we have tried to pass a law prohibiting circumcision. Typically, it is met with religious objections from Jewish groups. Just a hint on why I question religion.

On this issue of religion, what god grants the right to mutilate the body of another human being without consent or clinical justification? I ask, because I want to run like hell away from that god!!

by Syl Sat Feb 20, 2016 5:35 pm

It is against the law in the UK...The NSPCC say that up to 70 females a month seek help and medical assistance after having this done.

No one has ever been convicted.

by Major Sat Feb 20, 2016 5:48 pm

Syl wrote:It is against the law in the UK...The NSPCC say that up to 70 females a month seek help and medical assistance after having this done.

No one has ever been convicted.

Maybe we have someone on here who can do a proper UK wide poll which can be sent to Cameron.

Bleedin forunuz are to blame, mostly.

by Original Quill Sat Feb 20, 2016 7:01 pm

Stormee wrote:
Syl wrote:It is against the law in the UK...The NSPCC say that up to 70 females a month seek help and medical assistance after having this done.

No one has ever been convicted.

Maybe we have someone on here who can do a proper UK wide poll which can be sent to Cameron.

Bleedin forunuz are to blame, mostly.

Sure...you do. Wire me $1-million and I'll get started on Monday. Laughing

by Major Sat Feb 20, 2016 7:05 pm

Original Quill wrote:
Stormee wrote:

Sure...you do. Wire me $1-million and I'll get started on Monday.

Sorry cannot get it until Tuesday when my wife gives me my pocket money.
She always gives me a quid whether I need it or not. lol

by Syl Sat Feb 20, 2016 7:06 pm

Well on this subject (if you live in the UK) it is' foreigners' who are to blame.

FGM is hardly a British practice.

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"Nearly every country that has reduced FGM has used initiatives to change the way communities see girls, marriageability and virginity."

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Re: Here's How We're Making Progress In Ending Female Genital Mutilation

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Re: Here's How We're Making Progress In Ending Female Genital Mutilation