Preview

Female Genital Mutilation

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1630 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Female Genital Mutilation
I strongly oppose Female genital mutilation to the fact that it violates two important human rights, namely: the right to have a surgery or not; and the right to keep one’s own gender identity. Another reason why I stand against female genital mutilation is the fact that I think that female genital mutilation is a strong gender issue leaning in favor of traditional men who want to control their many wives while they take turns to sleep with them, since female genital mutilation reduces the urge for women to have sex. Finally, I say no to female genital mutilation because it passes health threats to its victims such as hemorrhages, shock, abscesses, urinary tract infections, HIV, small benign tumors, etc.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures that intentionally alter or injure female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women. Procedures can cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later, potential childbirth complications and newborn deaths. An estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide are currently living with the consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM). It is mostly carried out on young girls from 10 years of age and above have undergone Female genital mutilation. Female genital mutilation is internationally recognized as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all the procedures that involves partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The practice is mostly carried out by traditional circumcisers, who often play other central roles in communities, such as attending childbirths. Increasingly, however, female genital mutilation is being performed by health care providers. Female genital mutilation is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects deep-rooted inequality between

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Horrifying, isn’t it? This procedure is female circumcision, or Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). There are four types. Type 1 is the removal of the clitoris and surrounding tissue. Type 2 is excision of the inner labia and clitoral tissue. Type 3 is the most prevalent in Somalia and the most extreme. Not only is the labia and clitoral tissue cut and removed, the outer lips are sewn shut with only a small hole left for urine and menstrual fluid. Type 4 is everything else; branding, piercing, cutting, stretching, vaginal cutting, etc. Though, most of the world is making great strides to prevent it from happening, it is estimated that over 125 million women between 18 and 49 still had this done to them. In Africa and Asia it is still very prevalent. In Somalia, over 97.8% of women between 15 and 49 have had their genitals cut and sewn.…

    • 691 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Female genital mutilation is the term used for operations or removal of all or just part of the external parts of female genitilia.This practice has for a long time come under increasingly intense international scrutiny from the news media, feminist and human rights organizations. The main reasons for continuation of FGM are firstly, as a rite of passage from girlhood to womanhood; a circumcised woman is considered mature, obedient and aware of her role in the family and society.Secondly, FGM is perpetuated as a means of reducing sexual desire of girls and women, thereby curbing sexual activity before and ensuring fidelity within marriage.…

    • 1934 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Summary Of Half The Sky

    • 685 Words
    • 3 Pages

    When Kristoff asked if given compensation equivalent to her FGM sessions, she immediately defended herself that she would stop the practice. Prof. Bertini mentioned that the FGM practice is based on several beliefs biased against women. Thoughts of preserving women’s chastity until and loyalty during marriage rationalize the stitching up of the reproductive organ. Preventing women’s promiscuity is another reason for removing some of the parts of the female anatomy. The practice is heavily embedded in the culture, passed on to succeeding generations; as grandmothers went through FGM, so did the mothers, and the daughters, and potentially their future daughters if no political intervention takes place.…

    • 685 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lack of understanding of female circumcision (in a social context) has led to it’s becoming a subject of much controversy and debate in political, academic and religious fields, mainly by Westerners and Europeans.…

    • 630 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    It holds “particularly strong cultural meaning because it is linked to women’s sexuality and their reproductive role in society” (Toubia 712). Commonly referred to as “female genital mutilation”, or FGM, the exact origins of the practice are unknown. However, there is evidence to root it in Middle Nile, and the earliest record of infibulation—excision of the clitoris and labia and stitching together of the vulva—dates back 2,200 years to what is now Sudan (Mackie 266). From there, it likely diffused to other parts of the Sudanic belt (268). It is theorized that the original reasoning behind the practice was to institute a physical means of controlling female fidelity…

    • 1666 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Taking Sides Discussion

    • 444 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Summary: The main issue being discussed in the Taking Sides article is that of whether or not it would be right for anthropologists to work to eliminate the practice of female circumcision. This culturally debatable topic was discussed by professor of the history and philosophy of science Merrilee H. Salmon and Professor of anthropology Elliot P. Skinner; Both taking on very different sides in their discussion on the topic. Salmon argues that Anthropologists should work to eliminate such practice due to her argument that “…clitoridectomy (female genital mutilation) violates the rights of the women on whom it is performed.” Also, Professor Salmon brings up the possibility that genital mutilation could very well be a way for males to control women within their society and promote the practice of inequality. On the contrary, Professor Skinner believes that such cultural practices should not be eliminated and “…accuses feminists who want to abolish clitoridectomy of being ethnocentric.” Professor Skinner attempts to cover the cultural aspect of this issue, implying that African women themselves volunteer to perform clitoridectomy and decodes the cultural meaning behind such practice. Such cultural meaning is that of male initiation (later on in marriage) and the transformation of girls into adulthood.…

    • 444 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    FGM/C is performed by followers of different religions, including Muslims, Christians and Animists, as well as by non-believers in the countries concerned.…

    • 2238 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Rite of Passage

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Female Circumcision is the ritual cutting of the female’s genitalia. It is performed on girls between the…

    • 677 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM) is practiced in so many countries in Africa and Asia. FGM is a deeply rooted social and cultural requirement for girls before marriage. Supporters of the practice rely on religion and tradition to defend their belief. Nowadays it is considered as an important problem, from both public health and ethical aspects in the countries where it still exists. It violates the essential principles of medical ethics and human rights. The main ethical drawback of FGM is that; it is a senseless practice which provides no direct benefit to girls on whom it is…

    • 5688 Words
    • 23 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Westernization In Canada

    • 1191 Words
    • 5 Pages

    As the world becomes globalized, countries are trailing behind their cultures and their identity, for them to be cohesive with the Western ideal. The alteration in clothing style, religious beliefs, family roles are few of the examples of the impacts of which Westernization has had on developing countries. With that said, a medical practice common in developing countries such as Uganda, Sudan and Iraq, is female circumcision (Keilburger, 2013). Often linked this practice to Islamic teachings, it is incorrect as in this religion, merely male circumcision is encouraged, proving the fact that this practice roots to generations of cultural beliefs (Keilburger, 2013). “The communities where FGM is practiced explains Dr. Shaw, place high value on virginity, so the custom is seen as protection for young girls from premarital sex”. (Keilburger, 2013: 1) Adding on, developed nations across the world including Canada do not allow for such treatment to be performed on women as it is believed here to be inhumane and child abuse (Keilburger, 2013). Despite scarce records of such mutilation to occur to Canadian women in secrecy, there are laws preventing physicians, doctors and…

    • 1191 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) or a less ethnocentric term Female Circumcision is a form of violence that is approved by the societies in which it is practiced. About 183 million women have undergone such mutilation. The geographic areas of practice include North-East Africa and parts of the Middle East. Although it is illegal in Canada, it is practiced by immigrants from those areas. For the most part, men do not involve themselves in the practice, and its greatest supporters are women in the communities affected. It contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS and other STD’s because non sterile instruments are used, usually a piece of glass or a knife. It is seen in the communities as a practice which makes girls less interested in sex, more docile, therefore more attractive as a wife, although western medicine can not support that belief.…

    • 2965 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Female Genital Mutilation

    • 1772 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Female genital mutilation (FGM) is not a morally justified practice. It is an unnecessary procedure that has no medical health benefits to the girls and women it is being performed on. According to Utilitarianism, we should produce the greatest amount of pleasure for the greatest number affected. Utilitarian’s also believe that we should alleviate the greatest amount of pain and suffering for the greatest number affected. Based on Utilitarian grounds, FGM has no medical health benefits and it is a completely unnecessary act on females in this culture. It is also an extremely painful procedure that has very serious short term and long term side effects, including death.…

    • 1772 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Female genital mutilation is a horrendous injustice that occurs everyday in this world. Female genital mutilation is wrong for several reasons. It is wrong because women can experience physical health consequences, psychological health consequences and it is a form of gender discrimination. In societies that practice female genital mutilation women will never be considered equal they will always be considered below men. According to the World Health Organization, Female genital mutilation constitutes all procedures which involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural or any other non-therapeutic reasons.…

    • 658 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Being a humanitarian worker at heart, I uphold the values of the UN Charter, and my motivation is to create an environment for individuals where international human rights are applied across the board. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is done for solely non-medical purposes and is in clear violation of human rights. I see this an opportunity to work with grass root communities to bring practical and achieve tangible results to save girls from this practice.…

    • 349 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Female Genital Mutilation

    • 839 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Almost every person living in the United States would assume that the human race has made great progress concerning protecting the basic human rights. The majority of the population that shares this belief likely does not have exposure to the everyday occurrence of human rights violations that occur around the world. Citizens of many countries do not have the protection of basic human rights and suffer atrocities that would be condemned in our society. One of the many brutalities that people face around the world is the practice of female genital mutilation. Female genital mutilation is the praxis of excising or altering all or part of the clitoris; in some cultures they are notorious for stitching the labia together. (McKinnon) This practice, although seen by us as impermissible, is generally accepted in the cultures that they are practiced in. Around the world females still are not seen as equal to men, notably in eastern cultures: Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The cultures and societies that have differing sexual standards for males and females are more susceptible to this practice.…

    • 839 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics