write an expository essay on should female circumcision be abolished

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Why FGM should be abolished

14 JANUARY 2020

Activists and survivors from Sierra Leone speak out against female genital mutilation.

Why FGM should be abolished:

FGM is gender-based violence

• FGM steals girls’ futures

FGM extends poverty

Fgm can force girls out of school, fgm leads to child marriage and teen pregnancy, fgm can be traumatising.

• Young people know about their rights and bodies and want the tradition to end

FGM is a violation of girls’ and women’s rights

Despite her mother once being a practitioner of female genital mutilation (FGM), 17 year old Zainab refused to be cut and is now an outspoken advocate against the practice.

Zainab became an activist at the age of 13 when she joined an anti-FGM club in her school, a club she now runs.

FGM is prevalent in Sierra Leone due to Bondo society, an all-female secret society governing a girl’s rites of passage into womanhood, including this harmful ritual.

“For many of us, our parents did not attend school, so they did not know about the dangers of FGM.

“My mother, for example, became a Sowei (the decision-makers within Bondo society) when she was very young so she did not have the chance to get an education and she did not know that FGM was a bad thing to do.”

In the country’s northern province, where Zainab lives, 96.3% of girls are forced to undergo FGM.

“In the old days if you were not part of the Bondo society and had not undergone FGM, you would be discriminated against and they would stigmatise you badly. Parents still pass on that view to their children, so they often also try to force their children to join the society. That is what we are trying to put a stop to,” says Zainab.

FGM steals girls’ futures

“When a girl is forced to undergo FGM, she loses her future,” Zainab says.

“As well as the danger of death and bleeding, FGM also causes girls to drop out of school, which in turn leads to early marriage and to teenage pregnancy, because their parents will save up all their money to pay for their initiation.”

“They will use the money to buy food for the Soweis and for the crowd who come for the ceremony, so after they have done all that, when you come out from your initiation, your parents will not have any money to send you to school, so FGM extends poverty.”

Happily, her activism has had an impact on her mother who is no longer a Sowei thanks to Zainab’s influence. She is now also a proud advocate against the practice.

Not all parents are as understanding as Zainab’s. Sixteen year old Isha* was forced to undergo FGM at the age of 12. Soon after, she was told that she had to get married, when she refused her parents threw her out of the family home. 

“Almost as soon as I was cut they told me that I had to get married. As young as I was, I asked ‘Do I have to marry, or can I go to school?’ It was not easy for me, but that is the conversation that I had with my parents. It was a battle between us.”

“All they wanted was for me to get married. When I said that I didn’t want to do it they told me that they would disown me, that they would just cut me out of the family. It was really hard to go through something like that.”

Isha now lives at a school that supports young people who have experienced difficulties at home. She is part of Plan International’s Girl Power Group, where she mentors other young people, telling them about their bodies and their rights, how to protect themselves from FGM and child marriage. She dreams of one day becoming a nurse.

Fifteen year old Isatu* (pictured above) was cut at age 10 and married by age 13. Soon after she became a mother. 

People should listen to what people my age are saying because we do know what is good for us.

When her parents died in the Ebola outbreak of 2015, her aunt made her become a Sowei in order to make money. She was forced to carry out the procedure on other girls.

“I became a Sowei when I was 11, but I didn’t want to do it. My family forced me to. I knew that there were a lot of issues with cutting people. A lot of problems. And especially that death was a risk. So that’s why I never wanted to do it. But I was forced.”

However, she has not let these circumstances define her and is now an activist determined to stamp out the practice.

“Talking about FGM is not easy though. I’ve faced a lot of backlash from people who want FGM to continue. Some of them say very abusive things to me because they don’t want to stop the practice. But I don’t let it bother me because I know what I’m doing is right and I believe that all people should listen to what people my age are saying because we do know what is good for us.”

Twenty year old Sewanatu was forced to be cut when she was just 6.

“My grandma told me to follow her and when I asked where we were going she just said, ‘You need to become a full member of our family. After four days they came to check on me and my grandma said there had been a problem and they hadn’t removed it all. So they took me again and I went through the whole process a second time.”

“After I had been cut, I was terrified of my grandma. Any time I saw her, I wanted to run. Although my mum and dad knew that she was going to initiate me, it wasn’t really their decision. My grandma was the kind of person who would tell you that shame kills faster than disease. In Sierra Leone we have respect for our parents, so my dad was very nervous and he didn’t want to disobey his mum. So that’s why they allowed it to happen.”

Young people are learning about their rights and want an end to FGM

“When I went back to school, I mobilised my friends and others within the school and we started talking about what should be done about FGM, child marriage, teenage pregnancy and all the things that affect us. And I have been campaigning ever since.” says Sewanatu. 

Now she has finished school, she intends to become a doctor so that she can help to ensure that victims and survivors of sexual violence get justice. She is currently the Regional Coordinator for the Children and Youth Advisory Board of West and Central Africa, where she works with young people from across 14 countries to influence governments and the African Union on key issues that affect children.

Because FGM is usually performed without permission and against will, it violates girls’ right to make important decisions about their sexual and reproductive health.

At least 200 million girls and women alive today in 30 countries worldwide have been subjected to FGM. It’s time to end the outdated attitudes that allow this harmful practice to continue. Thankfully, today’s young activists are determined to see this happen in their lifetimes.

* Names changed to protect identities.

Protection from violence, Sexual and reproductive health and rights, child marriage, Female genital mutilation, Teenage pregnancy

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Argumentative Essay On Female Circumcision

Female genital mutilation FMG or Female circumcision is a cultural practice that has been followed for many years. It involves cutting or changing a girl’s private parts for reasons that are not related to health. People have different opinions about whether this practice should continue or be stopped.

Table of Contents

Arguments against Female Circumcision

Female circumcision can cause serious harm to girls and women. It can hurt a lot and make them sick. Sometimes, they might even die from the procedure. This practice also affects their feelings and mental well-being. Girls who go through female circumcision might feel sad, scared, or even have trouble having a normal life.

Another problem with female circumcision is that it takes away a girl’s rights. They might not have a choice in the matter and might not even understand what is happening to them. This is not fair, and it goes against the rights of every person to be treated with respect and have control over their own bodies.

Additionally, female circumcision is linked to ideas that girls and women are not equal to boys and men. This kind of thinking is not good for our society. Everyone should be equally for getting opportunities in life, no matter their gender.

Arguments in Favor of Female Circumcision

Some people believe that female circumcision is an important part of their culture or religion. They think it should continue because it has been practiced for a long time and has special meaning for their community. They believe that stopping this practice would mean losing a part of their identity.

Another point some people make is that female circumcision is a choice. They say that if a woman wants to go through the procedure, she should have the right to do so. They think that people from outside should not tell them what to do with their bodies.

In some communities, female circumcision is seen as a way to show that a girl is ready to become a woman. It might be a tradition that helps them fit in and be accepted by others. Some people argue that female circumcision can even have benefits for hygiene or marriage.

Answers to Questions:

What are the cultural and religious reasons for female circumcision?

Cultural and religious reasons for female circumcision vary among communities. Some believe it is a tradition that should be continued, while others think it is a way to show belonging to a certain group. Some religions might consider it important for social or spiritual reasons.

What are the health risks associated with female circumcision?

Female circumcision can lead to pain, infection, bleeding, and even death. It may be a controversial problem like, trouble urinating, sexual difficulties, and complications during childbirth.

What are the legal implications of female circumcision in different countries?

Laws regarding female circumcision differ from one country to another. In many places, female circumcision is considered illegal because of the risks and harms it poses to girls and women’s health and well-being.

In conclusion, the debate about female circumcision is complex and involves different beliefs and opinions. However, the harmful effects on girls’ and women’s health and well-being, the violation of human rights, and the perpetuation of gender inequality are strong reasons to advocate for the abolition of this practice. It is important to work together to educate communities, raise awareness, and change policies to ensure that girls and women can live healthy and fulfilling lives without the risks and harms associated with female circumcision.

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Key points for abolishing Female Genital Mutilation from the perspective of the men involved

Affiliations.

• 1 University of Alicante, Department of Nursing, Spain. Electronic address: [email protected].
• 2 Universidad de Murcia, C/ Salvador de Madariaga, N°5, 5°B, CP: 30009 Murcia, Spain. Electronic address: [email protected].
• 3 Universidad de Murcia, C/ Pasaje Latino N°:3, 5°B, CP: 30500, Molina de Segura, Murcia, Spain. Electronic address: [email protected].
• PMID: 26971445
• DOI: 10.1016/j.midw.2016.01.017

Introduction: female Genital Mutilation is internationally considered an affront on human rights and an act of violence against women and young girls. Furthermore, it hierarchises and perpetuates inequality and denies the right to bodily and psychosocial integrity of women and young girls.

Aims: to detect the key points for the abolition of Female Genital Mutilation as well as the necessary resources for its eradication.

Material and method: a qualitative methodology with an ethnonursing perspective, via semi-structured interviews, held both individually and in groups, in 21 men familiar with Female Genital Mutilation.

Findings: through the voices of men familiar with this tradition, five key points are presented for its gradual eradication: sensitisation and awareness building, team action, abolition-promoting media, focusing action on rural areas and applying educational means before punitive ones.

Conclusion and practical implications: awareness-raising via the combined efforts of families, communities and governments, together with the promotion of health education programmes in demonstrating the complications derived from this practice, play a vital part in eradicating Female Genital Mutilation.

Keywords: Female circumcision; Men; Nursing; Qualitative research; Transcultural.

Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

• Africa / ethnology
• Circumcision, Female / ethnology
• Circumcision, Female / legislation & jurisprudence
• Circumcision, Female / nursing
• Circumcision, Female / psychology*
• Emigrants and Immigrants
• Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice*
• Interviews as Topic
• Middle Aged
• Spouses / psychology*
• Women's Health
• Young Adult

Should female circumcision continue to be banned?

• Published: August 1995
• Volume 3 , pages 223–235, ( 1995 )

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• Morayo Atoki 1  

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This paper has attempted to steer a middle course between two opposing views. Although the examination tilts in favour of the conservationist, by proposing legal regulation of the practice, it also seeks to contain the fear of the abolitionist. The proposed regulation will make it illegal for minors to undergo female circumcision, and only those adults who wish to have it done will be permitted under the strict scrutiny of the law.

Female circumcision has returned to mainstream debate again and one hopes that this time a compromise acceptable to the abolitionists and the conservationists will be forged. The latter group should be given the opportunity of expressing its view without fear of being regarded with contempt. Such a cordial approach will foster a fair debate between the various interest groups that is long overdue.

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Ritual Male Circumcision: Quo Vadis?

An Ethnography of Diversity and Flexibility Around Female Circumcision and Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Case of a Local Community Response to the Abolition Movement in Kenya

The Law and Practices of Ritual Male Circumcision: Time for Review

The debate on the ethics of the practice of female circumcision has been going on for well over a decade. The earliest international debate on the practice was at the Khartoum Seminar in 1979 organised by the World Health Organisation. Fran P. Hosken gives a vivid account of the reception that visited the discussion in “Female Genital Mutilation and Human Rights”, Feminist Issues (Summer, 1981), 3. See also M. Daly, GYN/ECOLOGY: The Metaethics of Radical Feminism (London: The Women's Press Ltd, 1978); The Civil Liberties Organisation, Lagos report “What's Culture Got To Do With It?”, Harvard Law Review 106 (1993), 1944. Other publications have been largely by NGO's involved in changing cultural attitudes, see E. Dorkenoo and S. Elworthy Female Genital Mutilation: Proposal for Change (Minority Rights Group Report, Manchester Free Press, 1992, 3rd ed.). At the Nairobi Women's Conference in July 1985 the debate on female circumcision pitched Western women against Third World African women. See further N. Cagatay, C. Grown and A. Santiago, “The Nairobi Women's Conference”, Feminist Studies (Summer, 1986), 401.

CLO, Lagos Report, supra n.2, at 1952.

It is outside the scope of this paper to include a discussion of African marriages and family patterns. See generally A. Phillip and H.F. Morris, Marriage Laws in Africa (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1971).

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The immediate complications are: 1. Haemorrhage, 2. Acute infection, 3. Bleeding of adjacent organs, 4. Violent pain resulting in serious shock. Later complications include: 5. Vicious scars, 6. Chronic infection, 7. Haematic complications, 8. Obstetric complications, 9. Psychological complications. For a full discussion of health problems arising from female circumcision, see further O. Koso-Thomas, The Circumcision of Women: A Strategy for Eradication (London: Zed Books Ltd., 1987).

However, Hosken argues that it constitutes an outrageous abuse of modern medical health equipment, teaching, and tools: supra n.2, at 9.

In Corbett v. Corbett [1970] 2 All E.R. 33, a “sex change” operation was declared lawful by the courts even though this procedure involved a serious form of bodily harm. The court recognised the psychological benefit the patient derived from undergoing the transformation.

There have been reported cases of clitoridal hypertrophy and enlargement of the labia in several African races which practice genital excision. What however is unclear is whether the enlarged clitoris is congenital or specially manipulated through masturbation. See further H. Ploss, M. Bartels, and P. Bartels, Woman. An Historical Gynaecological and Anthropological Compendium , ed. E. Dingwall (London: Heinemann (Medical Books) Ltd., 1935).

The scarring that results from the excision is typical of all surgery and is no more permanent than a tattoo. R. Mackay, “Is Female Circumcision Unlawful”, Criminal Law Review (1983), 717, states unconvincingly that while an adult may consent to being tattooed, incisions inflicted by means of a razor blade are hardly analogous. How he arrived at such a conclusion is unclear. Both tattooing and circumcision involve pain to the victim, result in permanent scarring and are done for aesthetic reasons.

A. Scull and D. Favreau, “The Clitoridectomy Craze”, Social Research 53/2 (Summer, 1986), 243, traced the rationale behind clitoridectomy in England. They concluded that in the mid-nineteenth England clitoridectomy was used as a guise to deny women sexual pleasure and satisfaction by attempting to cure them of mental illness.

Many medical practitioners support the abolitionist stance that female circumcision was devised to curb female sexual desire and response. See further Hosken, supra n.2, at 11.

Koso-Thomas, supra n.9, at 13.

The writer acknowledges the diverse nature of Western feminism and restricts references here to Marxist-styled feminism. See recent work of C. Delph and D. Leonard, Familiar Exploitation: a new analysis of marriage in contemporary western societies (Oxford: Polity Press, 1992).

Many of the Feminist writers base their thesis on Engel's The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State ed., by Eleanor Leacock (New York: International Publishers, 1972). See generally E. Leacock, Introduction to Engels' Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State (New York: International Publishers, 1975); S. Firestone, The Dialectic of Sex: The Case for Feminist Revolution (New York: Bantam, 1970).

Two important pieces of legislation are the USA Civil Rights Act 1964 and the UK Sex Discrimination Act 1975.

See generally E. Shorter, A History of Women's Bodies (England: Penguin Books, 1982).

Hosken, supra n.2, at 10.

Ibid. , at 9.

Per Lord Templeman in R. v. Brown [1993] 2 W.L.R. 558: “... activities carried on with consent by or on behalf of the injured person have been accepted as lawful notwithstanding that they involve actual bodily harm or may cause serious bodily harm. Ritual circumcision , tattooing, ear-piercing and violent sports including boxing are lawful activities” (my emphasis). Arguably his Lordship was referring to male circumcision but what is significant is the fact that he chose to describe it as “ritual”. By using such a description his Lordship recognises that circumcision, even of males, is located in cultural and religious practises rather than in health science.

The reason for the change is presumably linked with the fact that the child is schooling. Pubertal circumcision will obviously disrupt his or her education. See also Koso-Thomas, supra n. 9, at 23.

Various international conventions, including regional declarations, recognise that female circumcision of girl constitutes an abuse of the child. See Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW, no. 12, June 1933 ) and The African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (1986).

In R. v. Adesanya (unreported), The Times , 16th and 17th July, 1974, the defendant incised the cheeks of her two sons, both under the age of sixteen. She was found guilty under section 47 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 because the children were incapable of giving valid consent.

France and the Sudan have had a few successful prosecutions. See further Links Vol 1 Issue 2 (June, 1993), publication of the Foundation For Women's Health Research and Development [FORWARD].

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This paper is a modified version of an earlier one delivered at Exeter College, Oxford, at the forum of The Oxford Civil Liberties Society in November 1994. I would like to thank the reader for Feminist Legal Studies for the comments made and to James Peniston for the editing.

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Atoki, M. Should female circumcision continue to be banned?. Feminist Legal Stud 3 , 223–235 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01104114

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Issue Date : August 1995

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01104114

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