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Copyright of Fe Journal: Feminist Critique / Fe Dergi: Feminist Elestiri is the property of Ankara University, Women's Studies Center (KASAUM) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Relaciones Internacionales (1699-3950) is the property of Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain, International Relations Studies Group (GERI) Law Faculty and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Growing numbers of women are showing interest in clitoral reconstructive surgery after 'Female Genital Mutilation'. The safety and success of reconstructive surgery, however, has not clearly been established and due to lack of evidence the World Health Organization does not recommend it. Based on anthropological research among patients who requested surgery at the Brussels specialist clinic between 2017 and 2020, this paper looks at two cases of women who actually enjoy sex and experience pleasure but request the procedure to become 'whole again' after stigmatising experiences with health-care professionals, sexual partners or gossip among African migrant communities. An ethnographic approach was used including indepth interviews and participant observation during reception appointments, gynecological consultations, sexology and psychotherapy sessions. Despite limited evidence on the safety of the surgical intervention, surgery is often perceived as the ultimate remedy for the 'missing' clitoris. Such beliefs are nourished by predominant discourses of cut women as 'sexually mutilated'. Following Butler, this article elicits how discursive practices on the physiological sex of a woman can shape her gender identity as a complete or incomplete person. We also examine what it was that changed the patients' mind about the surgery in the process of re-building their confidence through sexology therapy and psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2020, the number of displaced people worldwide reached 41.3 million (IOM, 2020). Among them, are many migrants and refugees at risk of sexual and gender‐based violence (SGBV). Healthcare providers have a key role to play in identifying migrant victims/survivors of violence. Objectives: This paper seeks to assess STIs prevalence, sexual health and sexual violence among third country nationals (TCNs) attending the GUC in Malta. Methods: This is a mixed methods study carried out at the Genitourinary Clinic (GUC), which is the only public sexual health clinic in Malta. Demographic data, sexual history and diagnoses of patients attending the GUC between January 2018 and December 2019 were collected and retrospectively analysed. A SGBV risk assessment was performed through a semi‐structured questionnaire. Results: In the 24‐month study period, a total of 12 654 patients accessed the GUC in Malta. Demographic data were collected on age, gender, nationality, marital status and sexual orientation. 16.4% (n = 2064) of these were extra‐European migrants, predominantly male. 80 different nationalities were recorded, with the 5 most common being Nigerian, Filipino, Libyan, Syrian and Brazilian. The average age was 32.6 years. Over 110 sex workers were visited at the GUC in the study period – 20 were foreign, primarily from China. The presence of a 'massage parlour owner' during consultation, lack of control over passports and other factors were identified as warning signs of trafficking. 5 cases of sexual violence and forced prostitution involving girls from Sub‐Saharan Africa and, in 2 cases, boys recently arrived in Malta by boat, were encountered. 6 African women accessing the service exhibited a type of female genital mutilation (FGM). Conclusions: Migration, sexual health and SGBV overlap in important ways. Further research and training in SGBV and migration in the healthcare setting and awareness‐raising about existing services among the migrant population are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performing female genital mutilation (FGM) is prohibited within the UK by the FGM Act of 2003. A mandatory reporting duty for FGM requires regulated health and social care professionals and teachers in England and Wales to report known cases of FGM in under 18-year-olds to the police. An application to the court for an FGM protection order (FGMPO) can be made to keep individual women and girls safe from FGM. This paper reveals the significant disconnect between the number of FGMPO applications and known recorded cases of FGM. The introduction of FGMPOs requires critical exploration as there is insufficient evidence to show that FGMPOs are effective in protecting women and girls from FGM. It is therefore unclear what impact, if any, FGMPOs are having upon the protection of women and girls at risk of FGM. The barriers to the implementation of FGMPOs and possible solutions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human rights language has become a common method of internationally denouncing violent, discriminatory or otherwise harmful practices, notably by framing them as reprehensible violations of those fundamental rights we obtain by virtue of being human. While often effective, such women's rights discourse becomes delicate when used to challenge practices, which are of important cultural significance to the communities in which they are practiced. This paper analyses human rights language to challenge the gender disparity in access to health care and in overall health outcomes in certain countries where such disparities are influenced by important cultural values and practices. This paper will provide selected examples of machismo and marianismo discourses in certain Latin American countries on the one hand and of female genital cutting/excision (FGC/E) in practicing countries, both of which exposed to women's rights language, notably for causing violations of women's right to health. In essence, a reflective exercise is provided here with the argument that framing such discourses and practices as women's rights violations. Calling for their abandonment have shown that it may not only be ineffective nor at times appropriate, it also risks delegitimizing associated discourses, norms and practices thereby enhancing criticisms of the women's rights movement rather than adopting its principles. A sensitive community-based collaborative approach aimed at understanding and building cultural discourses to one, which promotes women's capabilities and health, is proposed as a more effective means at bridging cultural and gender gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female Genital Mutilation has been described by the U.N. as a 'critical human rights issue' and as a consequence, several jurisdictions, including England and Wales, have enacted specific legislation to combat the practice. This paper considers FGM from a human rights standpoint and analyses the law in England and Wales in the light of this. Although arguments have been presented to support the continuance of the practice, the opposing arguments are more compelling, particularly in relation to child victims. The law in England and Wales reflects this perspective, adopting a strong universalist human rights approach to FGM. The stance initially taken i.e. to criminalise FGM, was criticised because the law was not utilised and in response, civil protection measures were introduced. This paper concludes that the latter have been more useful than the criminal provisions and impact private and family life to a lesser degree than other civil law alternatives. But whether they will continue to be effective, following the Court of Appeal judgment in Re X which set aside a global travel ban because it violated the right to private and family life and had not been fully justified, remains to be seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central argument of this paper is that soft law approaches are critical to making progress towards the realization of gender-based human rights. Soft law approaches are particularly critical in efforts to advance the realization of gender-based human rights due to the reality that gender-based violence and gendered sociocultural inequities, propelled by structural patriarchy, remain deeply embedded in societies across the globe. Absent authoritative enforcement, the law will not transform culture. Instead, localized politics rather than statist legal initiatives typically drive productive change in regard to gender-based human rights. This paper draws on constructivist theory as a lens for understanding why a focus on socio-cultural transformation and norm diffusion are as critical as legal enforcement in making progress on human rights. It examines the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to provide historical context for the argument. The final section of the paper applies the core arguments to a brief analysis of several issues at the intersection of human rights and gender: gender-based violence, female genital cutting, and LGBTQ rights as human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses an aspect of empowerment in relation to the central human capabilities for women with FGM/C in the diaspora. Many women who have undergone the practice of FGM/C come from societies where gender inequalities and gender-based discrimination between men and women persist, which compromises their capabilities, and many find themselves in vulnerable positions in their relationships with men, at work and in their everyday-life. The participants in this study however appeared somehow to have been empowered through certain health-promoting activities where they exercised agency in the western social context, they reside in. This paper examines the empowerment gained by the migrant women with FGM/C after participating in health-promoting activities. We compared this form of empowerment to the reinforcement of their capabilities according to Nussbaum's central human capabilities. Drawing on Nussbaum's list as a starting point we explore the relationship between capabilities and empowerment. We found that some central human capabilities appeared to be reinforced through health-promoting activities, whereas issues relating to asylum seeking became a determinant of empowerment in the women's own terms. Although the activities aimed to empower women, the participants themselves felt that they would only truly be empowered if they obtained full citizenship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5 for gender equality by 2030, it is crucial for health and development professionals and governmental officials to understand how legal systems empower or oppress populations on the basis of gender worldwide, including opportunities and challenges of statutory provisions created by legal pluralism. Using Ethiopia as a case study, this paper examines how local laws applied in Sharia and Customary Dispute Resolution courts impact gender equality and the health of women and girls inspite of the inculcation of human rights statutes into national legislation, including the Constitution. We identify several key issues with the substantive law and its enforcement. First, laws which have been instituted at the national level to improve gender equally have been poorly enforced at the local level. Second, there is a sustained enforcement of laws that oppress women and that protect male perpetrators of gender-based violations. Third, local courts limit female representation and uphold patriarchy. To improve the health of women and girls, stakeholders must take into consideration the ways in which legal systems uphold harmful gender norms and obstruct and/or advance progress towards equal representation, opportunities, and constitutionally-mandated protections for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article assesses the legality of Female Genital Piercing (FGP), which refers to the piercing of female genitalia to adorn it with jewellery, for decoration or sexual enhancement. The position in the UK is uncertain because the World Health Organisation regards piercing as a form of FGM, which is a criminal offence in all parts of the UK. After analysing the stance adopted by the international community, the paper examines the legislation that criminalises FGM and considers whether FGP could fall within its scope. The paper concludes that female genital piercings could constitute FGM in limited circumstances, but even then, it may not be in the public interest to initiate a criminal prosecution. This lack of certainty is problematic for professional piercers who would welcome legislation providing an express exemption for genital piercings performed on consenting adult women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the rites of passage rituals as the loci of health outcomes. It highlights how religiously sanctioned practices play a central role in healthcare in defiance of the perceived private and public dichotomy that dominates the modern secular mindset. Highlighted in the chapter are African rites of passage, specifically breast "ironing", female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), and child marriage. Drawing from findings of a survey of 50 respondents, the chapter illustrates how these practices exemplify how rituals invoke health concerns in Africa and amongst Africans in the diaspora. The elevation of scientific knowledge and the privatization and categorization of religious knowledge as non-scientific in the mid-19th century resulted in the separation of the cure for the physical body from the spiritual factors, thus eliciting statements like "medicine is secular" and "religion is sacred and private." In reality, however, medicine and religion have been interwoven for centuries and ancient holistic paradigms of healthcare have been present in many cultures even as society has modernized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Improving healthcare providers' capacities of prevention and treatment of female genital mutilation (FGM) is important given the fact that 200 million women and girls globally are living with FGM. However, training programs are lacking and often not evaluated. Validated and standardized tools to assess providers' knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding FGM are lacking. Therefore, little evidence exists on the impact of training efforts on healthcare providers' KAP on FGM. The aim of our paper is to systematically review the available published and grey literature on the existing quantitative tools (e.g. scales, questionnaires) measuring healthcare students' and providers' KAP on FGM. Main body: We systematically reviewed the published and grey literature on any quantitative assessment/measurement/evaluation of KAP of healthcare students and providers about FGM from January 1st, 1995 to July 12th, 2016. Twenty-nine papers met our inclusion criteria. We reviewed 18 full text questionnaires implemented and administered to healthcare professionals (students, nurses, midwives and physicians) in high and low income countries. The questionnaires assessed basic KAP on FGM. Some included personal and cultural beliefs, past clinical experiences, personal awareness of available clinical guidelines and laws, previous training on FGM, training needs, caregiver's confidence in management of women with FGM, communication and personal perceptions. Identified gaps included the medical, psychological or surgical treatments indicated to improve girls and women's health; correct diagnosis, recording ad reporting capacities; clitoral reconstruction and psychosexual care of circumcised women. Cultural and personal beliefs on FGM were investigated only in high prevalence countries. Few questionnaires addressed care of children, child protection strategies, treatment of short-term complications, and prevention. Conclusion: There is a need for implementation and testing of interventions aimed at improving healthcare professionals' and students' capacities of diagnosis, care and prevention of FGM. Designing tools for measuring the outcomes of such interventions is a critical aspect. A unique, reproducible and standardized questionnaire could be created to measure the effect of a particular training program. Such a tool would also allow comparisons between settings, countries and interventions. An ideal tool would test the clinical capacities of providers in managing complications and communicating with clients with FGM as well as changes in KAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper introduces the Baanashada Dumarka, a Somali fertility therapy carried out by a spirit medium, known locally as 'Alaqad. Baanashada is aimed at women whose fertility issues are believed to be caused by spirits. The study also explores a component of the Baanashada, namely, the use of tiire (Rotheca myricoides), or the butterfly bush. Although Rotheca myricoides is known to possess a number of medicinal components as confirmed by studies of modern science, so far, there exist no studies on its potential (or lack of) fertility effects. Hence, the alleged fertility benefits of the butterfly bush need examining. The author is aware of at least one recent case that a Somali woman from Europe died of herbs placed in her cervix by a traditional healer in Somaliland. This piece of information indicated not only the role of herbal medicine in fertility practices, but also the popularity of traditional reproductive medicine beyond border, class or educational background. Yet, current research into Somali women's health focuses mainly on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), examined often without the context of wider cultural practices. This paper, however, suggests that rituals, beliefs and material culture play a paramount role in women's practices. For example, as explored elsewhere, the wagar, a wooden and sacred object made of the African olive, is critical for fertility practices. The current paper illuminates further the significance of reproduction practices in Somali society and the potential continuity of traditions associated with the perpetuation of kinship. It concludes that fertility rituals are part of a wider context of interaction with sacred landscapes, objects and archaeological sites, often associated with past legends in the Horn of Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual and reproductive health is a challenge worldwide, and much progress is needed to reach the relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals. This paper presents cross-sectional data collected in Sierra Leone on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), family planning (FP), child, early and forced marriage (CEFM), and female genital mutilation (FGM) using an innovative method of measurement: situational judgment tests (SJTs), as a subset of questions within a larger survey tool. For the SJTs, respondents saw hypothetical scenarios on these themes and had to indicate how they would react. The objective is to give an impression of beliefs and norms on specific behaviors, which provide insights for social and behavior change interventions. Data was collected by enumerators traveling to villages randomly selected in six districts of the country. The sample is composed of 566 respondents. Results show that FGM in particular seem to be a priority topic, in comparison to the other topics for which the norms seem to be stronger against those practices. Age differences emerged and suggest priority groups to be targeted (e.g., on the topic of female genital mutilation, younger female respondents, and older male respondents gave the lowest coded responses which reflected to less appropriate behavior in our coding). In terms of validity of the measurement methods, situational judgment test answers correlated positively with other items in the survey, but the magnitude of the association is often small, and sometimes not significant. Thus, more studies are needed to further explore the validity of this measure by comparing against a reference value. Using SJTs could complement other data collection tools to perform community assessment, and orient the direction of the program in its planning phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing from qualitative research with female asylum seekers in Scotland who had claimed asylum to protect their daughters from female genital cutting (FGC), this article examines the workings of the culture of disbelief during asylum interviews. In this article I illustrate how the treatment of FGC-related asylum claims is informed by the convergence of hostile environment, gender and refugee stereotypes and the dominant representations of FGC. I argue that at the collision of anti-immigration and anti-FGC discourses, asylum seeking women are confronted with conflicting expectations whereby they are simultaneously expected to reinforce the constructions of themselves as victims of 'backward' cultural practices, and to narrate their vulnerability beyond cultural terms in order to meet the criteria for asylum outlined in the Refugee Convention. This paper illuminates the multiple strategies asylum interviewers employ to undermine women's lived experiences of persecution, revealing the contradictions in how interviewers simultaneously question the threat of FGC, women's inability to resist these practices and women's own experiences of being subject to FGC. Through this, I problematise the assumptions that FGC as an 'extreme' form of gender-based violence would offer an exception to refugee women's persistent struggles in being recognised as victims of persecution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While diaspora communities have become more critical of Female Genital Cutting (FGC), there are also trends of continuity. To explore the interplay between continuity and change, I designed a study among Somali migrants in Norway. A team of six Somali research assistants collected data from 72 male and female research participants between 16 and 57 years of age through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The aim of the study was to gather knowledge that could improve interventions among migrant populations. The study findings indicate that the experience of FGC as a practice in transition implies that people have to maneuver between different and partly contradictory social norms. The paper first discusses the contradiction between a strong negative attitude toward FGC and very low engagement. The lack of engagement is explained by the increased privatization of FGC and insecurities due to the transition and disempowerment with regard to challenging the FGC practices of relatives based in countries of origin. Second, the paper explores the contradiction between perceptions of FGC as a disappearing practice and the recognition of trends of continuation. Trends of continuation include those related to perceptions of risk during travel to countries of origin, resistance to defibulation, support for sunna circumcision and insecurities regarding the significance of FGC for marriageability. Thus, despite an almost universally negative attitude toward FGC in the form of infibulation, ongoing changes can, to some extent, hamper further change. This suggests that to ensure further progress in the abandonment of the practice, these complex and interconnected expectations must be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female genital mutilation may have been outlawed in Nigeria; it is still widely practiced in several Nigerian societies and cultures. The focus of this paper is to explore the practice of female genital mutilation in Nigeria on the girl-child. In other to achieve this, the paper was broadly classified as the good, bad, and ugly. The study revealed that, Nigeria has one of the highest numbers of female genital mutilation in the world and that the practice is more prevalent in the southern part of the country than what is obtainable in the northern parts of the country although to an extreme in certain areas in the north. It was also discovered in the study that, female genital mutilation is more prevalent in societies with high rates of illiteracy, ignorance, poverty and low status of women. The study concludes that, the place of culture in any society cannot be over-emphasized; therefore the significance of female genital mutilation as a cultural practice to societies and culture in Nigeria cannot be undermined. It also concludes that since female genital mutilation is deeply rooted and entrenched in many Nigerian societies, total abolition of female genital mutilation may not be feasible because of its cultural significance which is imperative for the survival of the society. Therefore, despite the health implications of female genital mutilation on girls and women, there is cultural justification for the practice and as such, the study recommends clinical procedure for female genital mutilation in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is still present in many African countries, as well as a few others. The United Nations has targeted women's empowerment in terms of both women's health and gender equality as one of its Sustainable Development Goals. In this paper, we aimed to study the possible link between women's empowerment and support for the continuation of FGM/C. We used DHS data from seven African countries and considered both the empowerment and FGM/C modules. We selected empowerment variables based on Kabeer's conceptual framework and used multilevel logistic models to evaluate the putative role of empowerment in support for discontinuing the practice. The multilevel models highlighted the protective effect of education. Other variables, including justification of intimate partner violence (IPV) and having experienced FGM/C, were associated with FGM/C support. The relationship between decision-making and FGM/C support appears complex, while the unmet need for contraception and job conditions do not seem to play a role. Our findings confirm that some aspects of women's empowerment (education and rejection of IPV) may enhance the discontinuation of FGM/C. However, the relationship between empowerment and support for continuation of FGM/C is complex and should not be treated as self-evident. Thus, using DHS data, we empirically support the UN's proposal for discontinuing FGM/C through sustaining women's empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female genital cutting is a vexed issue which has generated a considerable body of scholarship in both the humanities and the sciences. In this study, I focus on the ritual1 among the Ịjọ of Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region. The paper is purely a cultural analysis of the practice and not one where an argument is put forth, as it were. As such, it gives detailed attention to the performance of the tradition. It also examines some of the reasons why the practice was held in high esteem. The paper further considers some of the subjects of the songs associated with the ritual, including love, sorrow, education, identity, and the supernatural, among others. Data for the study was gathered through observation and interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Despite numerous studies on FGM, little is known about belief systems that support FGM in the EU. The purpose of this paper is to explore the dynamic nature of belief systems and enforcement mechanisms that perpetuate FGM among three African migrant communities in the EU. Design/methodology/approach - This paper is based on data collected through community-based participatory action research in three communities: Eritrean and Ethiopian community in Palermo, Italy; Guinea Bissauan community in Lisbon, Portugal; and Senegalese and Gambian community in Banyoles, Spain. A total of 24 FGDs and 70 in-depth narrative interviews were conducted for the research. Findings - The research finds that belief systems supporting the practice of FGM among African migrants in the European diaspora are similar to those in their home countries. Beliefs structured around religion, sexuality, decency, marriage and socialisation are particularly significant in perpetuating FGM in the study migrant communities. These are enforced through sanctions and social expectations from the migrants' home and host communities. Research limitations/implications - Members of the migrant communities that were the focus of this research are ethnically diverse; therefore it is possible that differences in the practice of and views on FGM by various ethnicities may have been masked. Also, due to close linkages between the migrants and their home countries it was hard to delineate beliefs that are specific to the host countries. In addition, it was difficult to assess the level of education of the migrants and how this may have impacted on their beliefs due to their contrasting and inconsistent educational backgrounds. Originality/value - This paper provides evidence to show that the practice of FGM among migrants in the EU is driven by both social norms and individual (parent) behaviour and therefore there is a need for interventions to focus on individual behaviour change and social norm transformation techniques. It also suggests that beliefs around FGM have remained socially significant among migrants despite their exposure to European culture because such beliefs are used to promote the moral standards of girls, marriageability of women, respectability of families, and the assertion of cultural and religious identity in the migrants' new environment. The paper further underscores the role of migrants' European context as well as the home country in strengthening beliefs that perpetuate FGM in the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Global efforts to end female genital mutilation (FGM) have intensified in recent decades because of the rising awareness that such a practice is an act of extreme violence against women and girls. Articles on FGM have been published highlighting the combined efforts of international and non-governmental organizations, governments, as well as religious and civil society groups to end the practice. However, the consequences of this research are not well known, and it seems that the socioeconomic aspects of the practice are underreported. Objective: This review aims to characterize over a 40-year period the scientific output on the consequences of FGM in African countries, the most affected region known for the high prevalence of FGM, and review data on the socioeconomic consequences of the practice. Design: A systematic review of literature was done, looking at the following databases: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, BDSP, Web of Science, PsycINFO, FRANCIS, Sociological Abstracts, WHOLIS, RERO, and SAPHIR. The analysis was limited to articles concerning the African continent, published in English and French, from January 1, 1972, to December 31, 2011. Results: One hundred ninety-eight articles were reviewed. More than half of the articles were published during the last decade of the study period. The majority of papers were published in biomedical journals (64.1%). Most studies looked at Africa as a region (33.3%). Nigeria was the single country most investigated (19.2%), followed by Egypt (10.6%). Most first authors were affiliated to non-African countries (60.6%): among them 21.2% were US-based, 4% were from African institutions, and 16.2% from Nigeria. The medical and psychological consequences (51.5%) and the prevalence and ethics of the practice (34.4%) were the most frequently investigated topics. The socioeconomic consequences were addressed in a minority of the papers (14.1%): they were classified into direct economic consequences (2.5%), school attendance (1%), marriageability (2%), sexual and marital consequences (3.5%), fertility (2.5%), domestic violence (1%), and discrimination (1.5%). Conclusions: The publication of articles on the consequences of FGM is increasing, but there is little research on the socioeconomic consequences of the practice. More scientific data focusing on this dimension is necessary to strengthen prevention, advocacy, and intervention campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a project, Seeds Of The Future/Somali Programme, which took place in June 2015. In the project, the disciplines of dramatherapy and creative writing were used in fusion in a series of workshops to gather testimony from Somali men, women and adolescent girls about their commitment to moving away from Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as a community. These stories have been translated into Somali and podcast, so that they can be used at a grassroots level in the anti-FGM campaign to persuade newly arrived/non-English-speaking Somali immigrants that the British Somali community is rapidly transitioning away from FGM, and thereby reduce or prevent cutting of young Somali girls. The paper explains the need for effective Somali-language testimony, and how the project was executed. It also includes memoir and testimony from the workshop participants themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is defined by the World Health Organization to include: ‘procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons’. It is a practice that affects many females in England and Wales and as a result, specific legislation has been introduced to tackle it. This paper explores the development of the criminal and civil law relating to FGM in England and Wales. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the approaches adopted and considers whether they are effective. The paper concludes that the creation of a specific criminal offence has proved to be ineffectual; that the introduction of civil FGM protection orders is a more appropriate and effective means of combatting the practice and that legal measures need to be supplemented by non-legal interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

"How Economics Can Save the World: Simple Ideas to Solve Our Biggest Problems" is a book by Erik Angner that aims to defend economics as a discipline and offer solutions to global issues. Angner, a Professor of Practical Philosophy, argues that economics can shape a more equitable and sustainable world. The book covers a range of topics, including poverty alleviation, personal finance, happiness, changing social norms, building communities, mitigating overconfidence, parenting, climate change, and market design. While the book emphasizes the transformative power of economics, it also calls for economists to be more inclusive and open to interdisciplinary dialogue. [Extracted from the article]

This paper contributes to decolonising global health and development by exposing how coloniality in knowledge production informs dominant approaches to shifting social norms underpinning female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child marriage. Major organisations in this field demonstrate systemic grandmother-exclusionary bias, namely sidelining grandmothers as change agents compared to adolescent girls, women of reproductive age, men and boys, and religious leaders. Grandmother-exclusionary bias stems from two assumptions: grandmothers do not influence FGM/C or child marriage; grandmothers only exert harmful influence and cannot change their views. These assumptions reflect Eurocentric constructions of modernity, and limited understanding of cultural contexts where seniority confers authority on female elders in relation to sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Grandmother-exclusionary bias goes against evidence that grandmothers wield authority over these practices; insights from meta-evaluations and systems/socioecological approaches that social norms change requires engaging people who wield authority over those norms; and proof that grandmothers can lead change if engaged respectfully. Instead, I present the 'grandmother-inclusive' Girls Holistic Development programme in Senegal, developed by the non-governmental organisation The Grandmother Project, as a decolonial option. It uses cultural renewal and participatory intergenerational dialogue to support grandmothers in shifting SRH-related norms and healing the damage Western modernity has inflicted on their communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: This study aimed to describe and understand the lived experiences and opinions of sub‐Saharan women living in Spain in relation to female genital mutilation. Background: Female genital mutilation is a bloody procedure with serious consequences for the health of women and girls. Understanding mutilated women's lived experiences plays a crucial role in the management of health consequences and could help healthcare professionals to provide assistance to these women. Design: A descriptive phenomenological study was carried out. The COREQ checklist was followed as guidance to write the manuscript. Methods: A total of 12 in‐depth interviews were conducted. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using ATLAS.ti 9.0. Results: Two themes with four subthemes were identified from the data analysis: 1) 'The traumatic experience of female circumcision' with the subthemes 'Female mutilation is a physical and psychological torture procedure' and 'recognising and coping with negative emotions'; 2) 'The fight for the eradication of female genital mutilation' which contains the subthemes 'the need for a real sociocultural change at the origin' and '"I want to be the last": Personal development leads to sociocultural change'. Conclusions: Female genital mutilation was experienced by women as a very aggressive and traumatic event. It causes considerable negative emotions that last over time. Although there is a tendency to reject the practice, in women's countries of origin, there is social pressure for girls to be mutilated. Relevance to clinical practice: Caring for women who have suffered from female genital mutilation requires awareness of the traumatic experience they underwent when they were girls. Healthcare professionals play a crucial role in eradicating female genital mutilation. Apart from education, preventive measures may include specific recommendations when girls are travelling to the country of origin and participatory action research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Graduate Journal of Sociology & Criminology / Revue Canadienne des Études Supérieures en Sociologie et Criminologie is the property of Paladin Academic Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper explores how the Gabonese artist Owanto's travelling multimedia art installation One Thousand Voices brings to light women's experiences of female genital mutilation (FGM). FGM is a gender-based public health issue which affects more than 200 million girls and women worldwide, but has been regarded as a discrete cultural practice and therefore continues. This profile piece examines how Owanto's visual art work – enlarging found object photographs, to which the symbolic traditionally female-crafted flowers are added, combined with capturing FGM survivors' accounts and amplifying them in a sound installation – originates in her personal family history, a mindful studio practice, and collaborative processes of working with NGOs and health workers. Using interviews and interpretations of the artwork, Owanto's artistic contribution is described and how it disrupts the continuation of FGM and breaks the silence around its practice, bringing it into the new domain of the international art world. The paper offers an introduction to the motivations and processes behind the ongoing project of Owanto's One Thousand Voices, and attests to the power of an interdisciplinary approach and collaborative work in addressing FGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is recognized internationally as an issue of global health concern and a violation of human rights. Changing climactic conditions are argued to put a strain on Maasai livelihoods making women and girls more susceptible to harmful practices. Therefore, this study sought to elucidate the effect of climate change on changing social, gender norms and FGM practice among the Maasai of Kajiado County. Methods The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional study design, employing qualitative methodologies. The study purposively selected 12 key-informants and 8 participants for a focus group discussion. A thematic framework analysis was utilized to examine and interpret data and findings were presented in narrative form. Results The study revealed that climate change eroded the Maasai social and economic fabric and in particular, the dwindling of their livelihoods whose mainstay has been livestock thereby sunk these communities into abject poverty. These changes have resulted in widening of gender inequalities and further disempowerment of women and girls, through the loss of education, perpetuation of FGM, and increasing child marriages. These practices are an adaptive strategy to survive climactic changes but detrimental to girls and women. Conclusions In conclusion, the study points to the intersecting axes of climate change on gender norms and FGM. The study portends that broader socio-ecological factors pose as barriers to social norms change among the Maasai of Kajiado. Therefore, there is need to adopt a multilevel intersectional approach when designing programmes to end FGM. The contextual social, economic and environmental factors should not be overlooked when tailoring FGM intervention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Based on the discussions of a symposium co-organized by the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL) in Brussels in 2019, this paper critically reflects upon the zero-tolerance strategy on "Female Genital Mutilation" (FGM) and its socio-political, legal and moral repercussions. We ask whether the strategy is effective given the empirical challenges highlighted during the symposium, and also whether it is credible. Recent Findings: The anti-FGM zero-tolerance policy, first launched in 2003, aims to eliminate all types of "female genital mutilation" worldwide. The FGM definition of the World Health Organization condemns all forms of genital cutting (FGC) on the basis that they are harmful and degrading to women and infringe upon their rights to physical integrity. Yet, the zero-tolerance policy only applies to traditional and customary forms of genital cutting and not to cosmetic alterations of the female genitalia. Recent publications have shown that various popular forms of cosmetic genital surgery remove the same tissue as some forms of "FGM". In response to the zero-tolerance policy, national laws banning traditional forms of FGC are enforced and increasingly scrutinize the performance of FGC as well as non-invasive rituals that are culturally meaningful to migrants. At the same time, cosmetic procedures such as labiaplasty have become more popular than ever before and are increasingly performed on adolescents. Summary: This review shows that the socio-legal and ethical inconsistencies between "FGM" and cosmetic genital modification pose concrete dilemmas for professionals in the field that need to be addressed and researched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a rising issue in western societies as a consequence of international migration. Our paper presents demography-driven projections of female flows with FGM/C from each practicing country to each EU28 member state for the 3 sub-periods 2016-2020, 2021-2025, and 2026-2030, with the aim of supporting resource planning and policy making. According to our projections, the EU28 countries will receive a flow of around 400,000 female migrants between 2016 and 2020, and around 1.3 million female migrants between 2016 and 2030 from FGM/C practicing countries. About one-third of them, corresponding to an estimated 127,000 between 2016 and 2020, and more than 400,000 between 2016 and 2030 will have undergone FGM/C before migration. Among these female flows, slightly more than 20% is expected to be made up of girls aged 0-14. According to the expected age at arrival, 20% of these girls are expected to have already undergone FGM/C, while slightly less than 10% are to be considered potentially at risk of undergoing FGM/C after migration. As the number of women with FGM/C in Europe is expected to rise at quite a fast rate, it is important to act timely by designing targeted interventions and policies at the national and at the European level to assist cut women and protect children. Such measures are particularly compelling in France, Italy, Spain, UK, and Sweden that are expected to be the most affected countries by migration from FGM/C practicing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female genital mutilation (FGM) has attracted international attention in recent times, and the formulation of new laws against the practice in Nigeria. While there have been little changes in the frequency of the exercise in many parts of the country there is evidence of prevalence among young people in Urhobo land in the rural areas. There has been a lower presence among daughters of educated mothers in the urban areas in Urhobo land. This challenge has necessitated the increasing research and policy changes to address these issues. Proponents of FGM in Urhobo land believe that there is a myth behind it and should therefore not be questioned nor stopped. They itemised social, psychological, and cultural benefits of which include conformity to social pressure and peers; raise a girl properly and prepare her for adulthood and deliver her from marital failures; reduces women sexual desires thereby preventing promiscuity; religious beliefs; sexual restraints; cleanliness, neatness and beautifying of females' sexual organs. Global outcry against FGM condemn the practice believing that it has no health benefit since (i) it is violent against women as it leads to childbirth complications. (ii)death rate of babies such as neonatal death. (iii)sexual problems. (iv)outbreak of infections and could lead to Cervical cancer. The paper employed the qualitative research methodology and focus group discussion to achieve the objectives of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on an integrative literature review which investigated whether training on female genital mutilation (FGM) for healthcare practitioners across countries in Europe, Africa, Oceania and the Americas has an impact on the safeguarding of women and girls from FGM. Topics covered include the levels of training received by healthcare practitioners, the recommendations for future research and practice and the implications for community practitioners.

Using data from the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System (NUHDSS), this paper seeks to understand the characteristics of adolescent girls who are circumcised in Kenya. The paper discusses the determinants of female circumcision in two Nairobi informal settlements. It is based on detailed information collected from young persons aged 12-24 targeting major transition events such as first sex, childbirth, marriage, and circumcision. Out of 4058 adolescents and young people interviewed 2010 were adolescent girls and young women. Out of the total number of interviewees, the 527 girls and young women on whom this paper is based are from ethnic communities that practice circumcision. We used the life-table technique to estimate the median age at circumcision and logistic regression to analyse the relationship between female circumcision and adolescent sexuality, controlling for other characteristics. The type of stay within the demographic surveillance area (DSA), religion, ethnicity, residential location and mother's education were associated with being circumcised. Current school attendance was not associated with being circumcised but if one had never attended school then they were more likely to be circumcised. For policy making, it is imperative to explore the nature of social networks within which circumcision decisions are taken and enforced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A tipping point in the rate of cutting does not exist in every community. • Some communities have a stable rate of female genital cutting between 0 and 1. • The existence of a tipping point determines which policies will be effective. • Develops novel method to construct community distribution of household preferences. • This method can also be used to understand other social behaviors. More than 200 million women alive today have undergone female genital cutting (FGC). Despite the associated negative health outcomes, the practice has persisted for generations. The prevailing theory of FGC persistence is that FGC is a social coordination norm, which implies that if a sufficient number of community members agree to abandon FGC, a tipping point is reached and the rate of FGC will fall to zero. Recent empirical evidence is inconsistent with this theory. This paper formalizes an alternative theoretical explanation in which households have heterogeneous thresholds—i.e. the rate of FGC in their community at which the household switches from practicing to not practicing FGC. This threshold heterogeneity removes the certainty that a tipping point exists and introduces the possibility of a stable internal equilibrium in the rate of FGC in a community. Using a dataset of more than 27,000 women born across 4.5 decades in Burkina Faso, I use a novel technique to construct community-level distributions of household thresholds. These distributions show that some communities in Burkina Faso have tipping points while some have a stable internal equilibrium. I find suggestive, but statistically insignificant, evidence that communities with a larger share of educated women, higher poverty rates, and lower population density are more likely to have a tipping point. Additionally, the empirical method developed in this paper has applications to the evolution of other social phenomena such as technology adoption, voting behavior, and racial segregation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is estimated that more than 200 million girls and women around the world have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM), and 3 million girls are at risk every year. It is possible for societal and cultural beliefs to innovate as a result of strategic interventions. To unpack this process, the theory of Diffusion of Innovation is utilized as the framework for inquiry to analyze how public health campaigns can successfully introduce new cultural practices, gain the acceptance of society, and integrate these elements to the existing culture. As such, this paper is a content analysis of a case study of a campaign against female genital mutilation in a remote village in Kenya. The paper offers practical recommendations for future FGM campaigners and demonstrates how community-based interventions produce effective public health outcomes. This paper advocates for the fight against FGM because FGM poses a threat to the well-being of the society in which it is practiced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Intersecoes: Revista de Estudios Interdisciplinares is the property of Editora da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (EdUERJ) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Rapid immigration from countries that practice female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) has introduced new populations requiring culturally sensitive health care. Clinicians play an important role in providing documentation and expert testimony for women seeking asylum on the basis on FGM/C. The intent of this paper is to provide instruction to providers aiming to evaluate an individual seeking asylum based on FGM/C. This document provides guidance about the three primary parts of evaluation: the interview, exam, and report. Other goals of investigation include preventing and ending suffering, compensation, and psychological or physical rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zbornik Radova Pravnog Fakulteta u Nisu is the property of Law Faculty in Nis and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: An estimated of 500,000 women and girls in the European Union (EU) have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM), with a further 180,000 at risk every year. Meeting the needs of these women and girls demands multidisciplinary action. This paper presents the United to End Female Genital Mutilation (UEFGM) knowledge platform, which is part of an EU-funded project. The platform is designed as a practice tool to improve the knowledge and skills of professionals who are likely to come into contact with women and girls affected by FGM.Method: Literature review was applied in regard to FGM along with expert validation process for the development of the modules particularly the e-learning section, expert and stakeholders' meetings for the other pillars of the Platform.Results: Three pillars were developed in the Platform: a) e-learning, b) country specific focus and c) live-knowledge discussion forum. The Platform explores related knowledge, skills, good practices, shared knowledge among professionals. UEFGM serves professionals and public as well in EU and worldwide.Conclusion: UEFGM comprises e-learning with a country-specific focus and a live discussion forum in which knowledge is shared between professionals worldwide. UEFGM discusses FGM and all related matters in a culturally- and gender-sensitive manner. It is a unique multidisciplinary and multilingual educational resource that has been found useful in everyday practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Female genital mutilation (FGM) is commonly practiced in sub-Saharan Africa and results in adverse pregnancy outcomes among affected women. This paper assessed the prevalence and effects of FGM on pregnancy outcomes in a rural Ghanaian setting. Methods We analyzed 9306 delivery records between 2003 and 2013 from the Navrongo War Memorial Hospital. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the effects of FGM on pregnancy outcomes such as stillbirth, birth weight, postpartum haemorrhage, caesarean and instrumental delivery. We also assessed differences in the duration of stay in the hospital by FGM status. Results A greater proportion of mothers with FGM (24.7%) were older than 35 years compared with those without FGM (7.6%). FGM declined progressively from 28.4% in 2003 to 0.6% in 2013. Mothers with FGM were nearly twice as likely to have caesarean delivery (adjusted odds ratios = 1.85 with 95%CI [1.72, 1.99]) and stillbirths (1.60 [1.21, 2.11]) compared with those without. Similarly, they had a 4-fold increased risk of post-partum haemorrhage (4.69 [3.74, 5.88]) and more than 2-fold risk lacerations/episiotomy (2.57 [1.86, 3.21]) during delivery. Average duration of stay in the hospital was higher for mothers with FGM from 2003 to 2007. Conclusions Despite significant decline in prevalence of FGM, adverse obstetric outcomes are still high among affected women. Increased public health education of circumcised women on these outcomes would help improve institutional deliveries and heighten awareness and prompt clinical decisions among healthcare workers. Further scale-up of community level interventions are required to completely eliminate FGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) has risen up the global advocacy agenda and is recognized as an important child-safeguarding issue. The topic crystallizes key debates in my module, Culture and Development in Africa, and enables Geography undergraduates to explore complex intersections of childhood, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity in diverse African communities. In this paper, in light of in my efforts to teach for social transformation, I reflect on the inquiry-based learning approach I adopt and on its potential benefits. Conscious of postcolonial feminist critiques of processes of racialized "Othering", I discuss dilemmas about how to frame FGM/C and support students' critical engagement with the conflicting, sometimes confusing, discourses of cultural relativism and universal human rights. I seek to foster independent learning and research skills using a "real world" NGO assignment. Qualitative feedback suggests students develop more in-depth subject-knowledge, reflections on the ethics of "development", changes in self-theories and gain important skilful practices that may enhance their employability. Linking my teaching to my work with a charity tackling FGM/C has enabled co-learners to regard this as both a cultural practice that affects "distant others", and as a form of gender-based heteronormative violence and child abuse that has resonance in the local community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to conduct a systematic review of published literature studying the health of African immigrants in the USA and to develop a formal set of recommendations for future researchers aiming to improve the health outcomes in this population. Design/methodology/approach: A comprehensive search was initiated on PubMed, Cochrane, ERIC, DOAJ, Prospero and Scopus databases. Final inclusion criteria were: systematic reviews, studying African Immigrants in the USA, measuring a clinical health outcome, since 1999. Articles were screened in four stages by title, abstract, full-text of the review and full-text of the primary studies within each review. Data was abstracted by identifying general information, study population, outcome measurements, conclusions and recommendations of each review. Findings: In the initial search, 519 potential reviews were identified. After removing duplicates, 473 articles were excluded by screening the title or abstract. After a full-text review of each article and primary study within each article, nine reviews were included in the final synthesis. Reviews covered Female Genital Cutting and Pregnancy Outcomes, Caesarean Births, Gestational Diabetes, Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Body-weight and Acculturation. Among the primary reports included in the final synthesis, less than 50 per cent studied African immigrants in the USA. African Americans living in the USA made up only 11 per cent of the pooled study sample. Research limitations/implications: Immigrants from Africa are one of the fastest-growing populations in the USA. This group has been underrepresented in health research, leading to a poor understanding of the group's health outcomes. Health researchers must adopt recommendations and prioritize studies that meet the health needs of Africans during this time of demographic transition. Originality/value: Systematic reviews represent a bedrock of medical evidence and signify a solid understanding of accepted knowledge in the field. Systematic reviews, however, do not necessarily constitute the end of discovery. Researchers can use existing systematic reviews to critique previous studies or initiate future research. There remain significant research gaps analyzing the health outcomes, behaviors and treatment of subgroups of African immigrants living in the USA. Future research should shift toward the growing needs of the population, leveraging the strengths and diversity of African immigrants now living in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]