Female genital cutting in Indonesia A Field Study (2013)

This study is a Exploratory research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics:

Author(s): Patel Reyhana,Roy Khalid
FGM/C Type(s): All
Health area of focus: None.

Objective: To determine the nature,scale and patter of FGM/C and its social determinants on the selected areas 2) Examine the drivers behind FGM/C in Indonesia,with particular focus upon faith as a motivating factor 3) To understand the perceived harmful and beneficial effects associated with various types of FGM/C practiced within Indonesia community 4) To determine possible intervention findings to end the practice of FGM/C based upon the findings of the study
Study Population: Women,Girls,Men,Women’s organisations,NGOs,Civil servants,Cultural and Religious Leaders,NGOs,Researchers,Medical Practitioners,Nonmedical Practitioners,Women’s Organisations,Activists
Findings: The findings of the field study revealed that FGM/C in Indonesia remained a complex and sensitive issue – and one that has recently been side-lined by the international community. All interviewees that took part in the study were questioned as to what they thought intervention initiatives around FGC should resemble. Ninety-nine per cent of interviewees reported that a government intervention would be ineffective as drivers to its continuation are mainly religious. One midwife indicated that if there was a government ban in place she would still perform FGC as it is “good and Islamic for girls”. Women activists felt that a government ban could create more risks to a girl as procedures would take place in homes through traditional practitioners resulting in unsterilised tools being used and more severe forms of FGC being performed. The religious endorsement of FGC also led interviewees to fear that imposing a ban would create conflict between government and religious leaders. The one interviewee who wanted the government to ban FGC believed that if it was banned and prosecutions carried out,people would stop the practice. The fact that interviewees who agreed with FGC believed it to have medical. In addition,and despite the guidelines,interviews with medical practitioners revealed that,unlike male circumcision,there is no specific training for FGC. Since then,the government has changed its position on the medicalization of FGC. There’s still research that needs to be done to observe if this has had an impact on the practices of FGC in Indonesia. Intervention programmes on FGC must be approached from both a religious and health angle. This should be carried out with the objective of engaging with local scholars and religious institutions. A researcher specialising in FGC argued that too often the power of education and awareness is underestimated: “Religious groups and leaders are scared of issuing statements because they are ignorant on the issue [FGC]. They associate the practice with male circumcision and think it’s the same … If they were to see for themselves the impact it has on girls and women they would change their mind and issue fatwas against it. Islam does not allow for this kind of harm on women.” The one religious institution which spoke out on possible intervention programmes was Muhammaidyat,stating that it would be possible to utilise their health centres,mosques and schools to raise awareness of the negative impacts of FGC – if their own research proved that this was the case. One woman activist in Lombok emphasised the need for the involvement of religious leaders in her area: “If advocacy is to be done,the religious leaders must be involved,particularly since Lombok is known as a very religious region with thousands of mosques and madrassas … This will be more effective than a direct campaign involving international figures [from foreign countries]. So,start it from the small scale,discussion with two or three local leaders … and expand from there

Geographical coverage
Region(s):Southeastern Asia
Country(ies):Indonesia

Source