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| Female Genital Mutilation: Does the West Have the Right to Intervene? |
 PRINTABLE VERSION |
BIBLIGRAPHY:
Montagu, Ashley, Mutilated Humanity. Vol. 55, The Humanist, 07-17-1995, pp 12(4).
Fluehr-Lobban, Carolyn, Cultural Relativism and Universal Rights
Female Genital Mutilation-Holistic Care For Women
The Foundation For Women's Health, Research and Development
Copyright 2001 Gale Group.
Jet, March 8, 1999 v 95 i14 p13
African Woman Sentenced For Female Genital Cutting.
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 1999 Johnson Publishing Co.
WIN News, Autumn 1993 v 19 n4 p29 (4)
Progress Report: Campaign to stop FGM.
Full Text: Women's International Network 1993
WIN News, Summer 2001 v 27 i3 p28
Female Circumcision In The European Union
Full Text: Women's International Network 2001
WIN News, Spring 1999 v 25 i2 p67
Excisor In Paris Imprisoned for 8 Years
Full Text: Women's International Network 1999
Daedallus, Fall 2000 v129i4 p209
What about "FGM"?
Full Text : Copyright 2000 American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Dickenson, Gregory, Understanding The Law. 2nd ed. McGraw-Hill Publishing: Toronto. 1995.
Excision and infibulation make up the broader name of Pharaonic circumcision, representation of that fact that this practice has existed since the time of the pharaohs. How can such an ancient practice be justified in today's society?
Alex Njieko is a teen from Cameroon. I asked him to tell me if he knew anyone affected by FGM, and also what he thought about FGM in general. www.cameroon.takingitglobal.org/community/profile.html
Now there is a documented growing demand for thousands more of these booklets, along with a flood of letters of thanks. A man from Benin in 1993 writes, "I am a social worker…I saw a copy with my friend…I hereby promise that my daughters will never be circumcised. I shall teach others about the dangers of female circumcision, I shall ask them to join me to stop circumcision all girls in our families and families of our
friends."
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Comments
thankyou emily churchill | Jul 12th, 2002
thanks for this article, i'd never heard of FGM before i read it & i was shocked at how widely it has been practiced. i find it sexist that measures are taken to stop females having sex and not males, but i think that the issue of one culture imposing its values on another is a difficult one. in this case i agree that education is the key, and i do think that outside countries have a right to do this as human beings are having FGM imposed on them without a real choice (it sounds like females involved in FGM are often too young to make an informed choice about it).
Outlawing is not enough... Brique Zeiner | Dec 13th, 2002
FGM is outlawed in Kenya for example. That changes nothing -except that it is done behind even heavier curtains than before. When a head mistress at a primary school tells me that she believes in the necessity of FGM and only has a problem with the HIV/AIDS that can be contracted through it - well, I was speechless (and that says a lot...). She told me that she was speaking from experience. An educated, strong woman who believes that FGM is necessary in order to keep a girl in place! How can a change take place when the people with the position to change things are against change?! The president of Kenya outlawed FGM - although it is practiced in his own tribe - but still hospitals are performing it for the wealthy people's daughters.
FGM is a sin to womanhood - a sin to humanity - and it most certainly is all of our "business" no matter where we live. Whoever knows and does nothing is at fault too.
no western inteference is good!! merle | Mar 3rd, 2003
I live in South Africa and according to me and what I know, where ever the west interfere bad things are bound to happen. I feel that although fgm is not right according to western ways and according to human rights it's still what these women see as something that must be done and in judging these people's way of life and interfering in their bussiness is also wrong. The west is so keen on capitalism and individualism, yet when something they do not agree with happens they forget about that and want to interfere. Quite frankly i'm fed up with the west interferring in everything in the world. it is any ways their fault that Africa can't stand on her own two feet.
Cultural relativism is an lazy approach yes but still in their writing they leave you to decide how to feel about whatever.
A change from within Charis Demetriou | Apr 25th, 2003
I have done extensive research about FGM, and believe that although it is necessary for organizations such as The UN Population Fund and WHO to get involved, it would be much smoother, if the West helps to promote the banning of of FGM from within the communities practising it. People should see it as a maturing modification of their culture that will benefit them, and not as an interference... but of course it will not be easy!
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