Female genital mutilation: common,controversial, and bad for women's health

Female genital mutilation has grave consequences for women's sexuality, health, and fertility. Studies conducted since 1990 have found that 97% of women in Egypt, 94% in Mali, 72% in Northern Ghana, 43% in the Ivory Coast, and 20% in Senegal have undergone female genital mutilation. The Population Council seeks to discourage the continued practice of this procedure in Africa while at the same time respecting cultural norms regarding women's sexuality. Change will require political support, culturally sensitive education, and community development. Current Population Council research projects in North and West Africa are expanding understanding of the cultural, attitudinal, and behavioral factors that influence decisions about female genital mutilation, while Demographic and Health Surveys will provide baseline data on the current prevalence of this practice. An emphasis on the reproductive health implications of female genital mutilation, backed by the support of the medical profession, may prove to be the most effective strategy. Of the 8% of women in the 1995 Egyptian Demographic and Health Survey who indicated they would not have their daughters' genitalia excised, more than 40% cited medical complications as the reason.