Gynecological consequences of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) (2014)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Berg Rigmor C,Underland Vigdis FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: Gynocological effect of FGM. Objective: The overall aim of this systematic review is to support well-informed decisions in health promotion and health care that improve quality of services related to the consequences of FGM/C Study Population: Women and girls Findings: This systematic review found that sufficient evidence exist to conclude that women who have undergone FGM/C suffer a greater risk of gynecological complications than women who have not undergone the procedure. There were no indications of gynecological benefits of FGM/C. Geographical coverage Region(s):Not specified Country(ies):Not specified Source

September 8, 2023

Harmful cultural practices and reproductive health in Nigeria (2012)

This study is a Exploratory research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Igberase Gabriel FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: Harmful cultural practices and reproductive health in Nigeria. Objective: To explore harmful cultural practices affecting reproductive health abound in Nigeria especially in the Niger Delta region. Study Population: Niger Delata Community Findings: A wide range of harmful cultural practices affecting reproductive health were found and were reviewed. They include female circumcision,abdominal massage,widowhood rite,fire and heat treatment,patronage of traditional birth attendants,early forced marriages,permission from men before obtaining medical treatment,insertion of toxic herbs and preference for the male child. Geographical coverage Region(s):Western Africa Country(ies):Nigeria Source

Harmful norms: Can social convention theory explain the persistence of female genital cutting in Africa! (2021)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Congdon F.H,Saksson A.S and Lindskog A. FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: None. Objective: This paper investigates the explanatory power of social convention theory for explaining the persistence of female genital cutting (FGC) in a broad sample of African countries Study Population: Demographic and Health Survey data from 34 surveys performed between 1992-2018 Findings: Empirical results drawing on Demographic and Health Survey data from 34 surveys performed between 1992-2018 in 11 African countries suggest that cutting behavior is indeed often socially interdependent,and hence that it can be understood as a social convention. The findings indicate that even if social convention theory does not provide the full picture,it should not be dismissed. Accordingly,interventions that acknowledge the social interdependence of cutting behavior are likely to be more successful than interventions that do not. Geographical coverage Region(s):Western Africa,Eastern Africa,Middle Africa,Northern Africa Country(ies):Benin,Burkina Faso,Chad,Côte d’Ivoire,Egypt,Ethiopia,Guinea,Kenya,Mali,Mauritania,Nigeria,Senegal,Sierra Leone,Sudan,Tanzania Source

Harmful Traditional Practices in Three Countries of South Asia: culture,human rights and violence against women (2013)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Savitri Goonesekere FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: None. Objective: To determine whether traditional and cultural practices are harmful and constitute violence against women Study Population: Women,NGOs,women hospital (health professionals) Findings: The three countries studies from South Asia documented a range of traditional and cultural practices that could be considered harmful and also violence against women according to international human rights standards. These standards were applicable in each of the three countries,as all were States Parties to two key treaties relevant in this area,the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. They had all also ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,committing Governments to effective implementation through an individual complaints procedure at the international level. The international human rights standards could be considered as directly incorporated in Nepal because that country had adopted a monist approach to international law,facilitating the direct application of a ratified treaty. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka followed a dualist approach to treaties,which meant that legislative,judicial or policy incorporation was required at the national level for treaty standards to apply. However,all of the countries had national constitutions that incorporated fundamental rights regarding gender equality and bodily security. Geographical coverage Region(s):Southern Asia Country(ies):Nepal,Bangladesh,Sri Lanka Source

Have we made progress in Somalia after 30 years of interventions? attitudes toward female circumcision among people in the Hargeisa district (2013)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding I,II,III FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Gele Abdi A,Bente P Bø,Johanne Sundby FGM/C Type(s): I,II,III Health area of focus: None. Objective: To investigate whether the perception towards the practice of FGM among Somali men and women in Somalia has improved or not Study Population: Women,Men Findings: The findings show that 97% of the study’s participants were circumcised with no age differences. Of this,81% were subjected to Type 3,while 16% were subjected to either Type 1 or 2 and only 3% were left uncircumcised. Approximately 85% of the respondents had intention to circumcise their daughters,with 13% were planning the most radical form. Among men,96% preferred to marry circumcised women,whereas overall,90% of respondents supported the continuation of the practice. The vast majority of the study’s respondents had a good knowledge of the negative health effects of female circumcision. The study showed that the support towards the persistence of the practice was profoundly high in Somalia. People were aware of the health and human rights effect of female circumcision,and yet they supported the continuation of the practice. Therefore,over 30 years of campaigns with limited progress,there was a demand an alternative approach towards the eradication of female circumcision in Somalia Geographical coverage Region(s):Eastern Africa Country(ies):Somalia Source

Have We Made Progress? Assessment of the Level of Success of the Media Campaign on Female Genital Mutilation by Family Succour and Upliftment Foundation in Ebonyi State (2019)

This study is a Exploratory research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Onwe,C. E. FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: None. Objective: This study set out to assess the level of success of the Media Campaign on Female Genital Mutilation as initiated and promoted by Family Succour and Upliftment Foundation in Ebonyi State. The idea is to determine the extent to which the people of Ebonyi State are disposed to the elimination of the Female Genital Mutilation practice as a result of the campaigns aimed at discouraging the practice in the area Study Population: The population of study is the residents of Ebonyi State. Ebonyi State is made up of 13 Local Government Areas Findings: The result showed that the people of Ebonyi state are not only aware of the media campaign on FGM,but also accept and act on the message as initiated by the Family Succour and Upliftment Foundation. It was recommended that the campaign should be sustained to ensure continued decline in the spate of the practice in the area. Geographical coverage Region(s):Western Africa Country(ies):Nigeria Source

Health care for immigrant women in Italy: are we really ready? a survey on knowledge about female genital mutilation (2014)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Caroppo E,Almadori A,Giannuzzi V,Brogna P,Diodati A,Bria P FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: None. Objective: To estimate the current knowledge about FGM among social and health care assistants working with asylum seeker in order to assess if they would be able to recognize and assist properly a woman with FGM Study Population: Women Findings: Only 7.3% of respondents’ stated to know well FGM,while 4.9% did not know it at all. 70.7% declared to have ever met or assisted a woman with FGM,nevertheless all respondents work with asylum seeker from countries where FGM are performed Geographical coverage Region(s):Southern Europe Country(ies):Italy Source

Health care in Europe for women with genital mutilation (2006)

This study is a Explanatory research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Leye Els,Richard A. Powell,Gerda Nienhuis,Patricia Claeys,Marleen Temmerman FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: None. Objective: To look at adequate care in Europe for women with genital mutilation in terms of: (1) medico-legal/ethical discussions; (2) development of protocols to assist in making informed decisions; and (3) development of guidelines on counselling,communication strategies,and referral procedures Study Population: Gynaecology/obstetric departments of hospitals in major cities Findings: The study concluded that adequate care for women with FGM should focus not only on appropriate clinical care,but also should include culturally sensitive professional counselling. Those health care providers who take medical care of pregnant infibulated women/girls,or who are in direct contact with girls at risk,need to be identified and provided with adequate and detailed guidelines on how to deliver antenatal care,care at the time of delivery,and postpartum care. They also need to be informed of how to perform gynecological examinations for the different types of FGM. Health care professionals also need to be informed of how to deal with the provision of counselling services concerning deinfibulation,reversal operations,caesarean sections,and prevention of FGM in newborn girls,and guidance on successful communication strategies. Ethical issues,such as medicalisation and reinfibulation,need to be discussed at a national level,and health care providers need clear guidelines on these issues. In order to establish these guidelines,all agencies working in the field of FGM should be interlinked at the national level,at which members of the affected communities should be included. At the European level,a coordinated approach between all agencies should be developed Geographical coverage Region(s):Western Europe,Southern Europe,Northern Europe Country(ies):Austria,Belgium,Denmark,Finland,France,Germany,Greece,Ireland,Italy,Luxembourg,Netherlands,Portugal,Spain,Sweden,United Kingdom Source

Health care providers’ and mothers’perceptions about the medicalization of female genital mutilation or cutting in Egypt (2019)

This study is a Descriptive research regarding Medicalized FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): El-Gibaly,O.,Aziz,M.,& Abou Hussein,S. FGM/C Type(s): Medicalized Health area of focus: None. Objective: This study sought to identify the factors that support the continuation or questioning of FGM/C and the reliance on health care providers to perform FGM/C. Study Population: Healthcare poviders and mothers Findings: Study findings suggest that parents who seek medicalized cutting often do so to minimize health risks while conforming to social expectations. Thus,the factors that support FGM/C overlap with the factors that support medicalization. For many mothers and healthcare providers,adherence to community customs and traditions was the most important motive to practice FGM/C. Also,the social construction of girls’ well-being and bodily beauty makes FGM/C a perceived necessity which lays the ground for stigmatization against uncut girls. Finally,the language around FGM/C is being reframed by many healthcare providers as a cosmetic surgery. Such reframing may be one way for providers to overcome the law against FGM/C and market the operation to the clients Geographical coverage Region(s):Northern Africa Country(ies):Egypt Source

Health care-seeking patterns for female genital mutilation/cutting among young Somalis in Norway (2018)

This study is a Exploratory research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics: Author(s): Vivian N. Mbanya,Abdi A. Gele, Esperanza Diaz & Bernadette Kumar  FGM/C Type(s): All Health area of focus: N/A. Objective: to explore the health care-seeking patterns for FGM/C-related health care problems,among young Somalis in Norway. Study Population: Somali women and men living in Norway Findings: While 51.6% of the 159 women were subjected to FGM/C,only 20.3% of them used health care services for FGM/C-related problems. Geographical coverage Region(s):Northern Europe Country(ies):Norway Source