Female Circumcision – the Ethical Debate to Keep or Abolish the Practice (2005)
This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics:
Author(s): Gregor Schmidt,MCCJ
FGM/C Type(s): All
Health area of focus: None.
Objective: To understand the ethical motivations of the ongoing practice and to discuss if there are acceptable alternatives.
Study Population: Circumcised Kenyan women
Findings: The main result found out by the study is that Tradition and marriageability are the most named reasons for FC by my informants and in the literature. The human rights approach is only taken by those who represent the government and NGOs. None of the four circumcised women said that they had been violated in their rights. The debate on sexuality,introduced by Western feminists,is discussed openly among women scholars. I personally didn’t feel it would be appropriate to ask my informants about such a private issue. The Samburu decided by herself to share her experience with me. The Kisii only talked in general about sexual complications. Nobody mentioned that FC would raise the libido of women.
Geographical coverage
Region(s):Eastern Africa
Country(ies):Kenya