Title: Africa battles to make female genital mutilation history.

POPLINE Document Number: 314836

Author(s):

Wakabi W

Source citation:

Lancet, 2007 Mar 31;369(9567):1069-1070.

Abstract:

During the past 2 years, substantial progress has been made in changing attitudes towards female genital mutilation in countries such as Guinea, Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, and Senegal. But the practice remains widespread across Africa. Wairagala Wakabi reports. In Guinea, where 97% of all women undergo female genital mutilation, about 150 communities made a declaration to collectively abandon the practice at the beginning of this year. Attitudes towards the harmful procedure are also changing in other countries in Africa such as Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, and Senegal. But despite this growing momentum against the practice, it is still prevalent in these countries and it remains widespread in at least 28 countries on the continent. Poor education and low levels of income among women in African countries, coupled with inadequate governmental support in efforts to eradicate the practice, mean it will take longer to stamp out. Human rights activists place much of the blame for slow progress at the door of governments. "The struggle to have communities in Africa abandon female genital mutilation is taking too long because it's only civil society who have taken it seriously. Governments are yet to take up the matter to the expected level", says Faiza Mohamed, Africa regional director of women rights group Equality Now, which works with 23 organisations in 16 African countries. (excerpt)

Keywords:

Africa
Africa, Sub Saharan
Africa, North
Progress Report
Evaluation
Women in Development
Adolescents, Female
Female Genital Cutting
Prevention and Control
Legislation
UNFPA
Culture
Developing Countries
Economic Development
Economic Factors
Adolescents
Youth
Age Factors
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Harmful Traditional Practices
Traditional Health Practices
Sociocultural Factors
Diseases
Political Factors
UN
International Agencies
Organizations