Underlying Reasons for the Persistence of Female Genital Mutilation

young girl that herself had undergone FGM was beneficial to investigate the issue of the
persistence. Through the semi-structured interviews it gave the informants, as desired, a broader
space open for follow- up questions and discussions.
2.3 Validity and Reliability
Validity and reliability in a qualitative orientation constitutes the description of the collected
materials in a systematic and direct way 25 . The sources used for this study is of primary and
secondary data from the subject FGM. Primary data consisting of the semi-structured interviews
with specific questions that were translated by the field-assistant since some of the informants
did not know the English language. By having a translator some risks are involved such as,
having the questions misunderstood or misinterpreted, or valid information getting lost in
translation, which then can affect the reliability. However, the use of triangulation of sources can
help raise the internal validity 26 . This was done by having the same type of interviews with
individuals from different villages to try and find similarities or differences. In the analytical
piece of the study one can also analyse the materials with different paradigms or theories. The
focus on attitudes, beliefs and behaviours motivated the choices of secondary data consisting of
previous research and statistics on FGM that are well documented and useful, as well as the data
collected from interviewing locals in Babati. In preparation of selecting informants, the fieldassistant
and the volunteer from AFNET prepared interviews with informants from different
villages. The choices were adjusted to the need for variations in collecting data, in terms of
including both men and women as adolescent and elderly to give me more perspectives. Also,
going out to different villages that have currently no upholding of the practice left, as well as to
the villages where this issue still is present.
Considering the issue of FGM and where the debate stands, coming from a Western society
automatically puts me in a position where I see though “Western eyes” and proceed within
Western based formalities. Being a woman gives even more hinders to be objective on the
subject, since it is a harmful practice and many women and children are affected each year,
taking a stand to end this is obvious from a personal view. However, everybody is coloured by
25 Infovoice 2011, Reliabilitet validitet
26 Ibid
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