Underlying Reasons for the Persistence of Female Genital Mutilation

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3. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK The practice of FGM is deeply rooted in social, cultural and religious traditions and has persisted for hundreds of years. The sensitivity to this subject claims separate the world into two “paradigms”; the industrialized countries that tries to eradicate a tradition that is perceived as brutal, backward and inhuman and traditional societies that tries to defend and preserve a tradition which was, and still is, found as an essential part of their cultural identity and social structure. By using different theories it can lead to different interpretations; therefore one can find several theories to compose a broader understanding of the phenomenon, and help make the analysis of the study more interesting. By focusing on the aim of the study and attempt to identify the persistence of FGM, these two standpoints will be presented through a theoretical debate, which will be taken from its philosophical roots and into the way it is embedded in the world today. 3.1 A Human Rights Issue Human rights are understood to be the rights that an individual has simply because he/she is human 27 . For a better understanding UNICEF declared human rights as; Inherent, inalienable and universal. Inherent because we are born with them and they belong to us as a result of our common humanity. They are inalienable, since individuals cannot give them up nor have them taken away, even if governments do not recognize or protect them. Lastly they are universal in the sense that they are held by all people, regardless of age, sex, race, religion, nationality, income level or any other status or condition on life. Human rights belong to each and every one of us equally 28 . As such, we have equal rights because we are human beings. The Universalist approach to human rights obtains that one can use nature, God or reason to identify rights, inherent to every 27 Donnelly, The relative universality of human rights. p. 282 28 UNICEF 2011, CRC Human Rights. 13
human and in such these rights existed pre-society 29 . The human rights theory is largely based on Western philosophy and has throughout modernization and the spread of modern markets expanded through globalization 30 . The Universalist approach takes an ontological stand in human rights content since it establishes human rights as something independent of our knowledge of it. The theory argues that despite differences in sex, ethnicity or culture, human rights are directed towards all human beings and it argues its essential standpoint 31 . However the idea of human rights is constructed by Western philosophy and has only in recent decades established its ideology in the international arena. Therefore human rights concepts are socially constructed which questions the ontological claim of human rights. 3.1.2 UDHR Over the past decades the growth of an international human rights regime, based on the idea that human rights should be internationally protected, has set its moral values and political statement in a fast growing and globalising world. Following the Second World War the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). “Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world, Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind... Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law…” - United Nations General Assembly, Dec 10 1948 The UDHR was the starting point in the development of global and regional treaties and declarations concerning human rights, followed by a number of Declarations and Conventions which embody human rights principals, as well as the emergence of non-governmental 29 Donnelly, The relative universality of human rights. p. 284 30 Ibid, p. 287 31 Marsh, Stoker, Theory and methods in political science, p. 18 -‐19 14
Page 1 and 2: Exempel 11, sid 4-5 Underlying Reas
Page 3 and 4: ABBREVIATIONS FGM UNICEF WHO CE
Page 6 and 7: 1. INTRODUCTION Female genital mut
Page 8 and 9: is in no way based on religious bel
Page 10 and 11: 1.4 Aims and objectives The purp
Page 12 and 13: 1.8 Disposition The study is divi
Page 14 and 15: 2.1 Qualitative case study rese
Page 16 and 17: young girl that herself had undergo
Page 20 and 21: organizations and intergovernmental
Page 22 and 23: obliged to form and adjust domestic
Page 24 and 25: human rights and therefore the disc
Page 26 and 27: as the custom has spread historical
Page 28 and 29: consequences of the urine and menst
Page 30 and 31: It is through this organization I h
Page 32 and 33: three or four years old when her gr
Page 34 and 35: many regions that practice/practice
Page 36 and 37: morals and fundamental rights, publ
Page 38 and 39: 5.2 Discussion FGM is internation
Page 40 and 41: likely to have the practice stop in
Page 42 and 43: 6. CONCLUSIONS Throughout this ess
Page 44: Reliabilitet Validitet 2011, retrie

Underlying Reasons for the Persistence of Female Genital Mutilation

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