Female circumcision which is also known as genital mutilation is the removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. According to research this practise is found in Africa, typically carried out by a traditional circumciser using a blade.
Female circumcision is conducted few days after birth to puberty and beyond. There have been international efforts since the 1970s to dissuade practitioners from the act. It has been outlawed or restricted in most of the countries in which it occurs, although the laws are poorly enforced.
This circumcision comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genetalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. This act is recognized internationally as a violation of human rights of girls and women.
It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. It is always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children. The practice also violates a person’s rights to health, security and physical integrity; also the right to life when the procedure results in death.
Circumcision of the female genitals has no health benefits; it harms girls and women in many ways. This involves removing and damaging healthy and normal female genital tissue which interferes with natural functions of girls’ and women’s bodies.
Procedures are carried out on young girls sometimes between infancy and adolescence and occasionally on adult women. According to research, more than 3 million girls are estimated to be at risk of female circumcision annually. The reason why female circumcision is performed varies from one region to another.
Over time, socio-cultural factors within families compelling them to conform to what others do or have been doing as well as the need to be accepted socially and the fear of being rejected by the community are strong motivations to perpetuate the act. Female circumcision is often considered a necessary part of raising a girl and a way to prepare her for adulthood and marriage.
Women and girls living with this experience have harmful practise. Female circumcision increases the short and long term health risk to women and girls which is unacceptable from a human rights and health perspective. Educating people on female circumcision shouldn’t be seen as old fashion because it happens everyday around us and people need to be educated on the course.
Female genital mutilation can be prevented through the following ways: (a) challenging the discriminating reasons it is practised. Among the discriminating reasons is a need to control female sexuality. The purpose of female genital cutting is to ensure that a girl behaves properly, saves her virginity until she gets married and then stays faithful to her husband; (b) educate girls on their right to decide what happens to their body. Some of them want to cling to this tradition even though they are aware of the consequences.
Another way to prevent this harmful practice is to speak out about the its risk and realities because it has lasting physical and mental effects that need to be discussed so that girls and women no longer have to suffer in silence.
We should tackle the secrecy that allows cutting to continue in the old days. Genital cutting was an initiation rite for girls to prepare them for their future. The whole community would participate. But nowadays it has become more controversial and it usually takes place discreetly at home.
Let’s keep pushing for female genital mutilation to be banned. Cutting is a violation of children’s rights; the rights to physical integrity, the right to good health and the freedom to make your own choices. It even violates a child’s right to be educated.
Educational rights-based approaches to eradicating female genital mutilation present communities with a package of opportunities for learning. However, such interventions can sometimes be perceived by communities as an unsolicited top-down approach. Therefore, working with communities prior to implementation is of utmost importance
This increases community acceptance of an intervention, leading to its success. Education is often favoured over other rights-based approaches such as legislation because it is less repressive. Although legal restrictions have been found to reduce the rate of female genital mutilation, they have also been found to drive the practice underground, while legal and political measures are necessary to ending female genital mutilation.
Community-based educational initiatives are also critical as well as campaigns worldwide. Government’s actions are necessary to create a political and legal environment that deters people from practising female genital mutilation, but it is ultimately the women, their families and their communities who must be convinced to abandon the practice.
Community empowerment should be taken into account. Consideration of the target population characteristics must be present in order to contextualize educational interventions that use a rights- based approach.
Cultural competitive training can help improve health outcomes and the quality of care. However, female genital mutilation affects men as well. Many men feel they too are victims of this practice. A sense of social obligation is an important indicator for abandoning the practice.
Harry is a Port Harcourt-based freelance journalist

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