Underlying Reasons for the Persistence of Female Genital Mutilation

More documents

Recommendations

Info

is in no way based on religious beliefs and is therefore not connected to Islam, Christianity or any other religion. FGM is a cross-cultural and cross-religious ritual and it is based on ancient myths and traditions within different religious and ethnic groups 11 . 1.2 Background Patterns of FGM prevalence emerge when countries are grouped by region. For example, in the countries of northeast Africa (Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan) 80 to 97 percent are circumcised while in East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania) it ranges from 18 to 32 percent 12 . In Tanzania FGM is traditionally performed by women. According to Tanzanian health statistics 15 percent of women between the ages of 15 to 45 have undergone some form of genital mutilation the years of 1997-2009 13 . The practice varies significantly by region and ethnicity. In rural areas almost 18% of women are circumcised. The most affected areas include Manyara, Dodoma, Singida, Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions. The government of Tanzania launched a campaign against FGM in these regions in 1971 when complications such as sepsis, bleeding and deaths among women alarmed the public. A workshop was held in Dar-Es Salaam in 1986 where the proposal for a campaign to abolish FGM was decided upon. This led to a fact-finding survey by the women’s section of the institute of Adult education in 1988-89. This resulted in the production and distribution of a booklet on FGM called “Dangers of Female Circumcision”, written in Kiswahili 14 . Many international treaties and conventions condemn harmful traditional practices, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Both treaties have been ratified by the government of Tanzania 15 . It was not until 1998 however, that the Tanzanian government enforced a law against FGM. The law is a part of “the sexual offences special provisions act” and 11 Ibid. 12 These numbers should be interpreted with care since they represent national averages and does not reflect the often marked variation in prevalence in different parts of a given country. UNICEF, Tanzania DHS 1996, Tanzania DHS 2004-‐2005 13 UNICEF 2011, Tanzania FGM/C country profile 14 Dorkeeno, cutting the rose. p. 113 15 United Nation 2011, Treaty collection, CEDAW, CRC 3
was passed by the government since young women often died while giving birth, due to complications caused by FGM. The law states that anybody who has custody, charge or care of a girl less than eighteen years and forced her to undergo FGM has committed the crime of cruelty against children. The punishment is five to fifteen years in jail, or a fine of 300.000 shilling. The accused could also be sentenced to both imprisonment and a fine, depending on the seriousness of the crime 16 . However, despite global and local attempts and public support to end FGM, the practice has persisted in Tanzania as it has in most parts of the world. What today many may consider as an out-dated custom is still in many areas considered an important social convention. 1.3 Formulation of the problem Throughout history many women have been victims of out-dated customs, attitudes and male prejudice. FGM in particular can in some perceptions be based on the manipulation of women’s sexuality in order to assure male domination and exploitation as a part of patriarchal repression. The common thread running through all groups practicing FGM is that they are male-dominated societies where resources and power are generally under male control 17 . However, the practitioners of FGM are generally women, midwifes, aunts or grandmothers, therefore it is practiced by women, and therefore be questioned as maintained by male oppression. FGM is a practice of a deep-rooted social convention. Where FGM is widely spread, it is generally supported by both men and women, and whatever legislation or action taking against it, it is still executed. There are claims of an existing paradox where universal rights and human equality stand against culture and traditional values. What perceptions and motives behind this practice underlie the justification of it, and what have made it persist until today By examining this, it may shed a light on how it can be stopped in the future. 16 Arvanitopoulou, Georgia. Methods to prevent Female Genital Mutilation, 2010, p. 6 17 Dorkeeno, Cutting the rose ,p. 45 4
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 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 18 and 19: 3. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK The pra
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

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?