Juneidi Coloay
Feminist Society - Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting or female circumcision, is a practice that involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injuries to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. This practice is found in some countries of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, and within their respective diasporas.
As of 2023, it is estimated that over 200 million girls and
women in 31 countries, including Indonesia, Iraq, Yemen, and 27 African countries,
have been subjected to one or more types of FGM. The procedure is typically
carried out by a traditional circumciser using a blade, from days after birth
to puberty and beyond. In half of the countries for which national statistics
are available, most girls are cut before the age of five.
FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the
human rights of girls and women. It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the
sexes and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against girls and women.
The practice also violates a person’s rights to health, security, and physical
integrity; the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading
treatment; and the right to life, in instances when the procedure results in
death. In the context of Indonesia, those rights are guaranteed in various
legal regulations such as the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia,
the Human Rights Law, the Child Protection Law, and even the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) that Indonesia
has been ratifying.
The World Health Organization (WHO) strongly urges healthcare
providers not to perform FGM. Treatment of the health complications of FGM is
estimated to cost health systems US$ 1.4 billion per year, a number expected to
rise unless urgent action is taken towards its abandonment.
FGM is classified into 4 major types:
1.
Partial or total removal of the clitoral glans
(the external and visible part of the clitoris) and/or the prepuce/clitoral
hood.
2.
Partial or total removal of the clitoral glans
and the labia minora (the inner folds of the vulva), with or without removal of
the labia majora (the outer folds of skin of the vulva).
3.
Known as infibulation, this is the narrowing of
the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal. The seal is formed
by cutting and repositioning the labia minora, or labia majora, sometimes
through stitching, with or without removal of the clitoral prepuce/clitoral
hood and glans.
4.
This includes all other harmful procedures to
the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, for instance pricking, piercing,
incising, scraping, and cauterizing the genital area.
In Indonesia, FGM is problematic and it has also become a
debatable practice. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a complex issue with
various reasons behind its practice, often deeply rooted in the cultural,
social, and traditional norms of the societies where it is practiced. Here are
some of the most frequently cited reasons:
Social Acceptance
FGM is often seen as a rite of passage into womanhood and is
widely practiced to gain social acceptance. Families who don’t participate face
ostracism and their daughters may be considered ineligible for marriage.
Religion
Although FGM is not endorsed by Islam or Christianity,
religious texts are commonly deployed to justify it. It is one of the
misconceptions that people believe to apply the FGM’s practices in the status
quo.
Beauty and Cleanliness
Some cultures consider the female genitalia to be dirty and
ugly and believe that they should be cut to appear clean and beautiful. This
misunderstanding is also common to be found in almost FGM’s practices.
It’s important to note that these reasons are based on
deep-seated gender inequalities and misconceptions, and the practice of FGM has
been internationally recognized as a violation of human rights. Efforts are
ongoing globally to educate communities about the harmful effects of FGM and to
eradicate the practice.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) can have severe long-term
health consequences affecting women’s physical, mental, and sexual health. The
most common long-term health risks associated with FGM would be pain,
infections, impaired wound healing, sexual health problems, urination problems,
mental health problems, obstetric complications, and infertility.
It is important to note that all forms of FGM are associated
with increased health risks in the short- and long-term. The World Health
Organization (WHO) strongly urges healthcare providers not to perform FGM.
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View More:
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation
https://www.unicef.org/protection/female-genital-mutilation
https://www.unfpa.org/female-genital-mutilation
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-47131052
https://www.wvi.org/stories/facts-history-faqs-what-you-need-know-about-fgm
https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/faqs/female-genital-mutilation
https://www.worldvision.org/child-protection-news-stories/female-genital-mutilation-fgm-facts
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