Female genital mutilation is a process that consists of the circumcision of the external female genitals. According to Mali’s third Demographic and Health Survey of 2001, this activity is commonly practiced. 92% of all the female population have been operated on.[1] Numerous social and ethical issues have erupted about this process most often done against the will of young women. ”Equality Now”, an international human rights organization, has reported that the process of female genital mutilation (FGM) has been operated on more than 130 million girls and women, 6000 girls everyday are at risk of being circumcised.[2] Not only does this practice deny women equality, it also results in lifelong health consequences that endanger the future of these women.
To begin, FGM has three different types of procedures that range from the partial removal to the entire removal of the exterior sexual organs. In Mali, all three forms of female genital cutting are practiced. The first type of FGM is called clitoridectomy, which includes the complete or partial excision of the clitoris. The second form, a more serious process, consists the removal of the entire clitoris and the excision of the labia minora of the reproductive system. Finally, the last form, the most extreme form of FGM, consists of the entire removal of the external genitalia. [3] The circumcisers then stitch together the two sides of the vulva, leaving a small vaginal opening for menstrual flow and urine.
Female genital mutilation is often done without anesthesia by traditional circumciser, midwives, and retired medical professionals. The consequences are usually devastating. Young women and girls potentially develop chronic infections from unsanitary conditions, psychological trauma, and severe pains during urination.[4] Other consequences consist of hemorrhaging after the process that result in anemia, shock, and death.[5] For example, during the course of the cutting, many girls become incontinent from the damages done to their urethras (the duct by which urine is secreted from the body’s bladder). Not only will they suffer from stigma and discrimination, and the ruined chances of getting married, they must give up their education to spend their time on washing their clothes from the urine.[6] This concludes the end of their bright futures.
In addition, the process is performed on girls in their pre-teen years. Infants as young as three months old are also performed on to do FGM to reduce trauma, resistance from growing children against this process, and the interference of governmental laws that have been established to end the process. Female genital cutting is believed to help a maturing adolescent become a full-grown adult[8]and prevent infidelity on the wife’s part, as taught from their mothers. The earlier their daughter matures, the earlier she will marry. That in turn, will help the family receive five cows as a dowry. Therefore, the girls are persuaded in believing that they will support their families and are convinced that their existence is powerless to their society. The majority of these young girls do not wish to go through female genital mutilation because of the risky health consequences. However, because of traditional values mentioned above, their mothers and elder members of their family oblige them to be circumcised.
In essence, female genital mutilation is a precarious process that endangers the health and bright future of these young women because of traditional values and physiological misconceptions. Despite government efforts by instilling laws against FGM to advocate gender equality, we need to support and to spread awareness to promote the existence of this social issue to protect these girls. Since the Universal Declaration of Human Right declares that “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”, it is possible to achieve gender equality and abolish FGM that denies equality in women. These young women should possess the right in deciding if they want to be circumcised.
