The medicalisation of female genital cutting: Harm reduction or social norm? (2020)
This study is a Exploratory research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics:
Author(s): N Eekert
FGM/C Type(s): All
Health area of focus: None.
Objective: to examine which aspects of women`s social position,attitudes towards the practice of FGC and the normative context associated with medicalisation.
Study Population: used data from the fourth,fifth and sixth wave of the Egypt demographic and health survey(EDHS) conducted in 2005,2008 and 2014 respctively.
Findings: Women’s social position is clearly associated with medicalisation of FGC: women who had no education belong to the poorest wealth quintile and have more tolerance of domestic violence are most likely to cut their daughter in a traditional way,compared to seeking a medicalised cut. Belonging to wealthier households and having received at least primary education increases the likelihood of medicalising the daughter’s cut,compared to opting for a traditional cut. Increasing odds for no cut are reserved for women who have at least a secondary education and belong to the highest wealth quintiles. Similarly,we see that higher age at rst birth increases the odds of medicalised FGC as well as of no cut,compared to traditional cut. Women who have a higher social position are thus indeed more likely to medicalise their daughters cut,compared to opting for a traditional cut (Hypotheses 1 and 2).
Geographical coverage
Region(s):Northern Africa
Country(ies):Egypt