Female Genital Cutting - Article Example

Female Genital Cutting Name: ENG: 124 Ms July 18, 2015 Female Genital Cutting Research Proposal Name: Tutor: Course: Date: Background Topic The process of removing a part or all of the external genitalia of a girl is called female genital cutting. It is a ritual performed and executed by members of communities, which believe in the tradition, as well as religious requirements. There are four classification types of the practice, especially in relation to the physical demands and execution. Type one of the practice is clitoridectomy, which involves the part or whole removal of the clitoris. Type two is the excision where the labia minora and clitoris are partially removed or whole without affecting labia majora. Type three is the infibulations, which is the most severe of the types. It involves alteration of the vaginal orifice with a created seal to cover the extension, leaving a small opening for urinal passage. Type four involves the non-medical purposed procedures like incising, pricking, scraping, piercing, and cauterization (Boyle, 14).  Conceptual Approach In terms of logos, research, the article will explore the physiological field study of the prevalence rates of the tradition or ritual in the contemporary society. It will also seek to establish the number of affected individuals as spread in the different regions across the world, with notoriety given to the uncompromising status. Can female genital cutting be abandoned? Can the practice be minimized? What are the psychological effects of the practice to the female members and society? What are the necessary recommendations to solve the scourge? Historical data and proven statistical findings on the practice will be used to determine the extent of the ritual (Agren 13). Anticipated Research Findings Anticipated results are on the total number of affected communities and female members of society who undergo the tradition. The outcome will then be vital for ways to enlighten techniques for ways to reduce the practice, alter social attitudes to communities that still practice and to enable the involvement of all people towards the abandonment. Article length 10 pages minimum Format: APA format and Documentation Photos: 3-4 photos to illustrate style the topic and issues Delivery Date: July 11, 2015 Work Cited Agren, Linnea, and Tanja Bastia. Female Genital Cutting: A Study of Women's Rights and Possibility for Change. Manchester: University of Manchester, 2011. Print. Boyle, Elizabeth Heger. Female Genital Cutting: Cultural Conflict in the Global Community. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 2002. Print. Abstract New research shows the effects of female genital cutting in the society as a negative form of ritual. The practice is responsible for denying the individual several rights protected by the international community. It denies the right to mental and physical integrity. The practice is a cruel and barbaric form of passage delivered without uttermost care of the health implications on the individuals. The article researches the historical inferences of the practice while delving into the present circumstances surrounding it. It also highlights the reasons maintained for the ritual while targeting the involved communities. Finally, it articulates various recommendations aimed at reducing and abandoning of the practices in the society. Female Genital Cutting Female Genital cutting is an ancient ritual that is still practiced to this day. It is an inhuman process, especially to the victims involved, whether voluntary or not. The tradition or ritual is mainly concentrated in 27 African countries, as well as Asian regions, with over 130 million victims. Female Genital Cutting (FGC), also known as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), involves removing part or all of the external genitalia of the female. The practice takes place between the ages of two to puberty (Clark, 2007). The procedures used in the process are often different from one ethnic group to another. There are four different types of FGC. Type one is called clitoridectomy. This type is involves removing part or all clitoris. Type two is the excision. This type involves removing the labia minora and clitoris without removing the labia major. Type three is the infibulations. This type is more severe than the above two types of FGC, and this type involves creating a seal like cover by the extension, which results in the creation of a small hole that makes it difficult for blood to pass. This hole is only good for urine to pass. Type four is the worst type of all. This type involves removing the female genitalia it is sewn with thorns and is altered to a point where a person cannot tell where the female part is. Human rights agencies are trying to make people aware of this violation of girls by educating them on the harm it causes, including excessive bleeding, post-traumatic stress, and infertility (Boyle, 2014). FGC is an inhuman and barbaric tradition that should be abandoned. Historically the origins of FGC are unknown, but it is believed that it began during the Meroite civilization, which is present day Sudan, over 2,500 years ago. Many of the world’s cultures and behaviors towards women also support this notion because the aspect of virginity and chastity of women is still as vital (Carr, 1997). Philosophers have documented on the practice, especially citing medicinal, therapeutic, and societal significance in support of the ritual. During the 19th century Gynecologists have used the procedure to help cure the large growth of the clitoris, at that time unnatural irritation were sign of concern after the procedure (Nour, Lalonde, and ACOG Task Force on Female Circumcision/Female Genital Mutilation, & American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2007). Who is practicing FGC today? According to UNICEF, 39 percent of women and 17 percent of girls between birth and fourteen years of age underwent the practice in 2001. In Eastern and Southern Africa, the number that was recorded was 44 and 14 percentages. In Western and Central Africa, the numbers recorded were 31 and 17 percent. The countries that had the highest rate were Ethiopia, Egypt, Nigeria, and Somalia. There are countries like India, Lanka, and Peru, and immigrant communities around the world like in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Malaysia that practice FGC today. Figure 1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_genital_mutilation FGC has been recognized as a violation under the human rights law. In Ethiopia, for example, the practice is responsible for the death of over 190 victims in the year of 2004 alone. The practice denies rights of the physical integrity of the person. It affects the physical health of the person, willing or unwilling. Who performs FGC, and how are they trained? FGC is usually done by women who are not trained and do not know anything about health care. Secondly, most of the places where the procedure takes place may not be clean or appropriate and most of the time the women who do FGC allow infections and over bleeding due to lack of nearby health care facilities. In other cases, the tools are blunt and not sterilized. The practice is cruel and barbaric (Boyle, 2014). According to Agren, and Bastia (2011), in the communities where the practice is common, instruction is passed down from the female elder members to the younger girls. In Egypt, however, doctors perform the procedure as well. After the Egyptians saw the shock that these girls go through during the procedure, they decide to have the doctors whom are trained providers do it. The main reason why the Egyptians decided to have doctors do the produces is to decrease the risk of bleeding and death, but still even on the doctors’ hands, girls are dying during the procedure every day. If FGC is considered ancient, a violation of human rights and physically and mentally damaging, why does the practice continue today? Many proponents argue that FGC is necessary to maintain religious and cultural beliefs. It is tradition and heritage. Many Somalians say they practice FGC because of religion beliefs. Usually it is believed that mothers who have their daughters undergo the procedure, enhance it because of virginity and honoring the family. Girls who did not undergo FGC will be seen different by the society. Figure 2 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30983027 A doctor in Egypt stood trial for female genital cutting in 2013. Raslan Fadl was the doctor in Egypt who was accused for the death of Sohair al-Bata, a 13-year-old girl who died during FGC procedure. Her father Mohamed al-Bata was also accused of her death. The doctor denied that the girl died while he was preforming FGC on her. He claimed that Sohair died from an allergic reaction. He said the cause of the death was made up by a human rights agency. In court when Egyptians community were questioned by a judge they all said that FGC is not in the Quran, one of Islamic senior clerics was asked about FGC he said there is nowhere in the Islamic book that talks about the practice is prescribed by Islamic law. FGC is not only an Islamic issue, but it is global issues, that have been going on for centuries said the Islamic Senior. Dr Ahem al-Mashady who is Dr Fadl’s supporter said “it gives girls more dignity to remove her clitoris If your nails are dirty don’t you cut them?” FGC is done to clean women’s dirty body part he says” (BBC News Egypt FGC trial 2015). The words Dr Ahem uses are very offensive to me as a victim of FGC. This is not right at all, one can suggest human body part should be cut off because it is dirty; this is unacceptable by any circumstance. For a long time men have been treating us females around the World like thing. It seems like men use Women to preform FGC, at the end of day it is the man’s who is benefiting to have young girls undergo FGC, it is because so the man could enjoy the sex better and the women can suffer with pain during and after sex. The World does not seem to care much about females, but we females need to care about one another. It is time to act we need to act on it; we can have more innocent girls like Sohair die on our witness. FGC needs to end and it needs to end now (BBC News Egypt FGC trial 2015). FGC is also practiced for economic reasons. Usually the girl undergoes FGC and there is a man ready to pay more money to family so he can marry her. Girls who do not undergo the practice not only will affect her, but the entire family as well. Her family will be seen as poor, men will not respect the girl and her family, and she will not be worth anything. If the girl undergoes FGC, she is seen differently. After the procedure, she is now considered a virgin and the man will come and pay money to the family to marry her. In Somalia, some men claim the artificial procedure tightens the vagina and heightens sexual enjoyment. Some also say the smoothness of the scar is esthetically beautiful. It increases the bride price and a major upheaval for the family too. Islam believes that if their daughters are cut, their chance of getting married with a wealthy man is higher. She will be worth more money, because when the women is cut and sewn that brings enjoyment for the man during sex and discomfort for the women (Somalia: Report on Female Genital Mutilation 2009) For some people FGC is a religious requirement. It is noted that the majority of African countries that carry out the practice are Islam follows (Masterson, Swanson, Centre for development and population activities, and international center for research on women, 2010). It resonates to the religious beliefs in wife roles to the husband. Some Christian countries like Mali and Guinea are also practicing FGC. Both The Quran and The Bible do agree that the practice should not be going on. There is no benefit society needs to be informed that the practice is not fair to females and needs to end (The 2002 Enumerations Results of Female Genital Cutting in Kapchorwa District: Eradicating Harmful Practices but Not Cultural Values in Uganda, 2002). Younger girls did not want to risk their position within the communities of not having children of their own due to infertility because of not getting the cut. In return, Ulla Dahlen, author of Female Genital Cutting Phenomenological Interviews on the Ethiopian Immigrant Experience mother 2011 notes that once the sensitivity of the issues can be used to discourage people by presenting sexuality, painful experiences, and infertility issues this should help towards abandoning the practice. FGC also affects the child’s growth and development when the child is cut at a very young age. What do we do about FGC proposal? Changing in the practice of FGC is needed also taking into account of the cultures beliefs, traditions and ethnicities differences. It is hard to help developing nations or the ones that do not want to develop; it is also a challenge to set up goals and achievements for such countries. For example, the Untied Notations agency and the human rights agency do not live in the countries that have FGC issues. They may be there protecting girls who at risk of infer going FGC for about 6 to 12 months after that they leave and go back to their countries and these families will perform FGC before the agencies are back again. (Yoder, Wang ICF International (Firm) and United States, 2013), but change towards the practice has been encouraged because the practice cause more harm than good. Changes of FGC can be sought towards changing our attitudes from the traditions, culture believes, and the individual characteristics will help a larger group or country. From our findings, is important to raise awareness to end FGC and improve the wellbeing of young girls and women who are at risk (Uganda, 2002). The research funding indicates that the factors that are presented in the study of FGC are preferences that are more personal then health needs. The most common reason that all the researchers have agreed the social obligation to change this part will require decreasing the expectations such as to honor the family or doing so the man could pay the family in order to marry the girl. Also by using program, activities to discuss the harm of FGC can help discourage performing on their daughters. Media also should take a part to inform the public the risks of FGC (USAID Intra-Agency Working Group with FGC, 2004). It is very important that countries, regions ethnicities, and social groups that support the practice needs to be exposed in order to facilitate easy abandonment of the practice (Clark, 2007). Arguing the benefit of leaving the practice, witnessing the trauma and my personal experience as women who have undertaken FGC needs to be stopped. The alternatives for not undertaken the practice are encouraged as model societies bear witness who have undergone FGC. Advocating girls and young women towards abandonment is ideal. Societies should know the consequences of the practice regarding FGC, Opportunity costs of promoting healthy living and no harmful practices should be main idea and towards promotion of human rights any form of infringement should be taken seriously with necessary use of the law. I personally became a victim of FGC at the age of seven. I remember from this day and the time that I underwent FGC. I was born in Somali, but my family left Somali when I was just seven months old and moved to Kenya. Since FGC is illegal in Kenya, my family took me back to Somali to have the procedure done. It was a day after we arrived in Somalia, my grandmother came with two other women, and she said to me “after today you will be a women” I did not understand what she meant by this, but what I knew was I was a little girl and was not ready to become a woman, not just yet. An hour later, she came with a new dress for me to wear and said, “Here put it on it just for you my dear” In my head, I was wow grandma buying me a dress this is good not knowing what is behind it. The next hour, my grandma got me a candy. I took it from her and ate it. It was the time of the procedure. I was put on a handmade wooden table that was outside the house and began singing held me down because of the severe pain due to no anesthesia. I was able to fight them off and finally freed myself and ran, but the question how far can you go when you only seven years old and there is no DCF agencies that can protect you. I remember a village doctor came and completed the FGC on me. My family did not have any money to pay him. The deal was that my family would allow him to marry me, when I got older. When I got older and told about it. I was really you will allow your daughter to get married to by an older man just because of FGC. Why is it so important? That people cannot forget about it. Until today the endless pain is still there, some days I also dream about that day that I had go through the procedure. There are attempts that have been made to ensure that there is legislation set against the performance of this act. Individual legislations are more successful now due to the varying belief either culturally or religiously especially in the Arabic countries (Carr, 1997). Regardless, organizations like the United Nations and African Union are taking steps on a global scale that continuously improves this situation today (Darlem, 2011).The research however shows that there are numerous health issues due to the practice with a slight overview on the numerous organizations that have internationally come together to fix this problem (Carr, 1997). Overall, however, it is the hope of all people, male, and female alike, that the welfare of our daughters and our female friends gains more attention starting with the elimination of this cultural misbelief. It is our responsibilities to spread the words out in the world to help end FGC. References: Archive for January, 2009, Somalia: Report on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) or Female Genital Cutting (FGC)." Somalia. N.P., n.d. Web. 05 July 2015. http://2001-2009.state.gov/issuesandpress/index.htm Agren, Linnea, and Tanja Bastia. Female Genital Cutting: A Study of Women's Rights and Possibility for Change. Manchester: U of Manchester, 2011. Print. BBC News Egypt FGC trial “convicts doctor of manslaughter Press, Associated. “ Egypt Court Convicts Doctor of Female Genital Mutilation." N.P., n.d. Web. 05 July 2015. https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/world/2015/01/27/egypt-court-convicts-doctor-female-mutilation/yuaHYwNQ6UHe9BJKeEBp1L/story.html Boyle, Elizabeth Heger. Female Genital Cutting: Cultural Conflict in the Global Community. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 2002. Print. Carr, Dara. Female Genital Cutting: Findings from the Demographic and Health Surveys Program. Calverton, MD, USA: Macro International, 1997. Print Clark, Garica. Female Genital Cutting. Bloomington, IN: Indiana U, 2007. Print. Dahlen, Ulla M. Female Genital Cutting: Phenomenological Interviews on the Ethiopian Immigrant Mothers' Experience. N.P.: N.P., 2011. Print. Female Genital Cutting: The Facts and the Myths: FGC Symposium: USAID Final Report. Washington, DC: USAID Intra-Agency Working Group on FGC, 1999. Print. Masterson, Julia M., and Julie Hanson. Swanson. Female Genital Cutting: Breaking the Silence, Enabling Change. Washington, DC: International Center for Research on Women, 2000. Print. Nour, Nawal, and Andre Lalonde. Female Genital Cutting: Clinical Management of Circumcised Women. Washington, D.C.: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Women's Health Care Physicians, 2007. Print. The 2002 Enumerations Results of Female Genital Cutting in Kapchorwa District: Eradicating Harmful Practices but Not Cultural Values. Kampala: Family Planning Association of Uganda, 2002. Print. Read More