Combating Genital Mutilation in Sudan In the country of Sudan, in Northern
Africa, there is a procedure that is tradition and is performed on most women
called female genital mutilation, or FGM, which used to be known as female
circumcision. It has been a normal practice for generations, but is now the
subject for international controversy on the morality and safety of this
procedure.
It is now known that 82 percent of Sudanese woman have an extreme form of
genital mutilation done on them, normally at a young age. This form of
mutilation is called the Pharaonic form and includes the total removal of the
clitoris and labia, and stitching together of the vulva, leaving only a small
hole for urination and menstrual cycle. This is normally done without any type
of anaesthetic or professional medical care. There is also a more moderate form
of mutilation, called Sunni, where only the covering of the clitoris is removed.
This practice started and became tradition in foreign countries in order to
ensure that women practice chaste behavior, and to suppress female sexuality. It
has also been attributed to religious beliefs of monogamy although most
religions do not support this type of practice. In today's society it has become
more of a traditional and social norm, and has less to do with religious
beliefs. This problem is not only in Sudan; it is practiced in the majority of
the continent of Africa as well as other countries. In other cultures, such as
Australian aborigines, genital mutilation is a part of the rite of passage into
maturation, and is done on both men and women (Bodley, p. 58). FGM has often
been referred to as female circumcision and compared to male circumcision.
However, such comparison is often misleading. Both practices include the
removal of well- functioning parts of the genitalia and are quite unnecessary.
However, FGM is far more drastic and damaging than male circumcision because it
is extremely dangerous and painful. It is believed that two thirds of these
procedures are done by untrained birth attendants, who have little knowledge of
health. They are often unconcerned with hygiene, and many use instruments that
are not cleaned or disinfected properly. Instruments such as razor blades,
scissors, kitchen knives, and pieces of glass are commonly used.
These instruments are frequently used on several girls in succession and are
rarely cleaned, causing the transmission of a variety of viruses such as the HIV
virus, and other infections. There are many side effects of this procedure
including trauma, stress or shock from the extreme pain; and bleeding,
hemorrhaging and infections that can be fatal from improperly cleaned
instruments. There can also be painful and difficult sexual relations and
obstructed childbirth.
The effects of this one procedure can last a lifetime, both physically and
pyschologically. Today, 85 to 114 million girls and women in more than 30
countries have been subjected to some form of genital mutilation. It was
declared illegal in Sudan in 1941, although that did little to stop this age-old
tradition. To this day, about 90% of women are still being subjected to the
mutilation, especially if it is a family tradition. In various cultures there
are many justifications for these practices.
Many older women feel that if they have an uncircumcised daughter, she will
not be able to find a husband and will become a social outcast. Family honor,
cleanliness, protection against spells, insurance of virginity and faithfulness
to the husband, or simply terrorizing women out of sex are sometimes used as
excuses for the practice of FGM. Examples similar to this are found in other
cultures, such as the Maasai, an African cattle peoples tribe.
A clitoridectomy is performed on adolescent girls in this tribe as part of
their rite of passage, and signifies that they are ready for marriage. This
practice is openly accepted by these women as another ritual and a normal
precondition of marriage (Bodley, p. 121). The efforts to stop procedures of
this kind are mounting though, especially with the help of women ages 16 to 30
who realize the dangers of this practice.
