Par Martha Amoateng
Female genital mutilation can be explained as the cutting, piercing, removing Zand sewing closed the total or part of female external genitalia for non medical reasons.
This practice is very common in Africa, Asia and Middle East countries. According to the world Health Organization, more than 200 million women and girls alive today have their external genitals excised. Most of these women undertake this practice without their approval or knowledge about the consequences. Meanwhile, United State of America is of no exception. Researchers according to the Office of Woman’s Health (US) estimate 513000 women and girls in the US have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) mostly immigrants. In Africa, about 30 countries are involved in the FGM. The countries include Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Burkina Faso, Central Africa Republic, Ghana, Guinea, Eritrea, Cote D’ivore, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Djibouti, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Niger, Mali, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritania, Senegal, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda. The age range for girls and women who experience this
Female Genital Mutilation is from infancy to 15 years (WHO, 2019).
One will ask why they subject these girls and women in this distressful practice. Well, the response is that it is for traditional and cultural purposes. Erasmus Dadzie a Ghanaian student at the Vrije University Brussels opines that “FMG is performed to prevent the adolescent girl from committing fornication. It was believed to initiate the victim into adulthood. Moreover, the girls were declared ready for marriage after this”. In the same vein, Eunice Damoah also Ghanain student at the University of Ghana talks about the main reasons this kind of practice is carried out. According to her, “it is for sexual reasons. It is done to limit and control the sexual drives of women because it is believed that women have insatiable desire for sex. Furthermore, some communities believe that the female genital is unclean; therefore removing it is a form of cleaning up the girl. Lastly, some communities also use FGM as a prerequisite for marriage and inheriting properties”.
TYPES OF FEMALE GENIATAL MUTILATION
World Health Organization has outlined the various types of Female Genital Mutilation. As indicated by WHO, the types of Female Genital Mutilation include Clitoridectomy which is the total or partial removal of the clitoris, Excision which is also the partial or total removal of the labia and the clitoris, Infibulations involve narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal. The labia minora or labia majora is repositioned with or without removal of the clitoris. The fourth type entails all sort of harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, e.g. scraping, incising, pricking, piercing and cauterizing the genital area.
EFFECTS OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is not without some effects and consequences. First and foremost, it violates the human right of the girls and women. This cultural practice is normally without the consent of the victims hampering the human right of these innocent girls and women. According to United Nations, “FGM is internationally recognized as human right violation”.
Dadzie an African student at the Vrije Universiteit Brussels was of the view that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) “Inflicts pain and torture on the victims because it was done with the girls on no anesthesia.”
He further talks of the fact that “the Clitoris is orgasm power house and once it’s gone, the victims are deprived of quality sex forever” According to him, “there were number of deaths. Those who were not brave enough bled to death”. Not only that they also suffer an emotional trauma.
Moreover, it leads to urinary problems, menstrual problems, vaginal problems, childbirth complications and psychological problems (WHO, 2019).
Immigration is one of the consequences of such acts. This is as a result of the fact that some of these girls abhor the act to the extent that they run away to seek refuge from other towns, countries and community where their right s will be protected.
In conclusion, Female Genital Mutilation has been a bone of contention in the lives of these innocent girls and women forced into it. It is purely violation against the human right. Worsening the situation is the side effects that accompany it. It is in the right direction that international organizations, countries worldwide and even some practicing countries like Ghana are rising against it. I will advocate for intense campaign and education against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) worldwide to liberate these innocent girls and women from this barbaric act.