The writer gives a brief history of female genital mutilation (FGM) including the different types, the
reasons behind this occurrence and why it continues today. The
paper looks at FGM in Egypt and Kenya and the policies in each of these countries are outlined in detail. The author explains that in Egypt FGM
began for
religious reasons and despite many challenges to the validity of the Fatwa, or religious decree, continues to this day. According to the paper, the rate is smaller than in previous generations, but it still continues to pose a threat to the lives of young girls in the country. In the case of Kenya, it began as a
rite of passage, which largely went unnoticed by the
rest of the world until the early 1960s when Kenya wanted independence and suddenly found this practice under scrutiny by the rest of the western world. The paper also discusses the United Nations and World Agency positions on FGM in order to help understand what attempts are being made by the world community to try to stop this practise on the grounds that it is a violation of human rights.
More summaries about the Female Genital Mutilation