POPLINE Document Number: 129008
Author(s):
Dugger CW
Source citation:
INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE, 1996 Oct 10;:2.
Abstract:
Man is a tourist town deep in the interior of Cote d'Ivoire. After undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM), pubescent girls in Man receive gifts of money, jewelry, and cloth, and their families honor them with lavish celebrations attended by hundreds of relatives and friends. Among the Yacouba people of Man, FGM is part of a girl's dreams of womanhood, a father's desire to show off with a big party, and a family's way of fitting in with social convention. Men who have not had their daughters excised are not allowed to speak at village meetings and no man in the village will marry unexcised women. News of efforts being made in countries across Africa to eradicate the practice of FGM barely reaches out of the way places like Man. The tradition of FGM is an integral component of the lives of hundreds of ethnic groups in 28 countries across Africa. Most prevalent among Muslims, FGM is also performed by Christians and followers of traditional African religions. The practice is more widespread among the illiterate, but it is also common among the educated. Levels of FGM are slowly being reduced in some areas of Africa.
Keywords:
Cote d'IvoireIndex page
Culture
Cultural Background
Female Genital Cutting
Developing Countries
Africa, Western
Africa, Sub Saharan
Africa
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Harmful Traditional Practices
Traditional Health Practices