Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
World Congress of Global Partnership for Young Women 2014 Topic Eliminating FGM through Education and Systematic Awareness Prepared by: Hossam Soltan Nahideh Faiaz Jessica August 2014 ABSTRACT Education is the most fundamental need for enhancing capacity building and empowering women and girls. Lack of women’s capacity building to develop their confidence and improve their participation in education systems is one of the primary reasons behind increasing rate of gender-based violence. In many communities, people do not value women’s right to education, employment, and their economic self-reliance. Furthermore, there are ethnic traditions and cultural belief practices that prevent women from education opportunities. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is considered as a kind of the violence against women, because it is harmful for women. It occurs in many dangerous health issues for women. This paper is most focused on the importance of tackling the current phenomenon to be revoked through integrating FGM awareness in existing education system. Introduction Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is one of the most heinous crimes against women’s human rights in modern day history. FGM exists around 28 countries, between 100 to 140 million girls undergone FGM in the world according to the World Health Organization 'WHO' statistics. The statistics about Africa highlighted an amount of 101 million girls, who ages 10 years and more, undergo FGM.1 DHS and MICS classify the countries having FGM into three groups; the first includes those countries whose FGM rates are 80% or more, while the second includes countries whose FGM rates within the range 25% - 79% and the third is for countries less than 24%. 2 Egypt is classified in the first group; according to DHS, around 97% of women in Egypt aged between 15-49 years undergo FGM. FGM rate differs in Egypt according to region, lifestyle, and education levels.3 Around 62% of FGM surgeries in Egypt are done by Dayas “traditional birth attendants”; the majority of those Dayas is not specialist and as well not educated. They just get their experience from trails on people. According to EDHS, 68% of ever-married women aged between 15-45 think that FGM should continue, and 54% of women believe that men support FGM to be continued. Supporting FGM differs from urban to rural areas; Women in the urban areas are less likely to support it comparing with women in rural areas. The women who undergo FGM are more likely to support it comparing with the women who did not.4 World Health Organization (WHO). “Female genital mutilation and other harmful practices.” http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/fgm/prevalence/en/ (accessed June 10, 2014). 2 The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). “Female genital mutilation/cutting; a statistical exploration,” (The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 2005), http://www.unicef.org/publications/files/FGM-C_final_10_October.pdf. 3 Ibid., 5. 4 ELhawary, Soad. Violence against women in Egypt. Aguascalientes: United Nations Statistical Commission, 2009, http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/meetings/vaw/docs/Paper2.pdf. 1 FGM Procedures can cause severe bleeding and urinating problems, and later cysts, infections, infertility as well as complications in childbirth increased risk of newborn deaths. The reasons behind undergoing FGM are tradition aspects, cleanliness, religious requirements, and virginity protection as well.5 Therefore, this paper finds the importance of tackling the current phenomenon to be revoked through integrating FGM awareness in existing education system. Gender and health subjects in academic curriculum with focus on FGM and other harmful practices on women’s body should be started in the basic schools. Gender equality courses should include information and awareness about FGM for children in all stages of schooling. This policy would help to eliminate FGM among future generations. Moreover, there should be systematic awareness in order to treat the phenomenon in different areas in the country through campaigns and education for women and girls' equal participation in education, involving various stakeholders groups such as religious leaders etc. It is crucial as well for the ministry to help local schools and universities to network with well-known universities and schools in gender advanced countries in order to update teaching methodologies should be encouraged. Moreover, setting up more schools, universities and vocational training centers especially in rural areas where people lack the benefits of education system is crucial. Eventually, it is important that government and international communities allocate substantial budget on women and girls education and encourage rural community to send their children to schools. Why FGM is Gender Based Violence Gender-based violence is a major human rights, social and public health problem throughout the world. Gender-based violence refers to all forms of violence that happen to women and men because of the unequal power relations between them. Gender-based violence in most cases is systematically directed at women, because women have less power and status in most parts of the world due to the prevalence and history of patriarchal societies, making women generally more vulnerable to acts of violence. However, violence against women continues to be the reality of women’s lives even today. It is an endemic problem that knows no national boundaries, no cultural boundaries, no class or caste boundaries and no religious boundaries. Violence against women continues to be perpetrated by men, by women, by trans-national actors and by the state. It continues unabated in situations of armed conflict and in times of peace. It continues to takes place outside and inside the home. Partners for Prevention (P4P) – UNDP, UNFPA, UN Women and UNV regional programme for Asia and the Pacific – is working in the region to prevent violence or stop violence before it starts. Primary prevention is an essential part of a comprehensive response to violence, and P4P knows more about what is promising to prevent violence in different settings. P4P helps to collect this knowledge and communicate it to practitioners and decision-makers throughout the region. One of P4P’s focus areas is to build the World Health Organization (WHO). “Female genital mutilation.” http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/ (accessed June 19, 2014). 5 capacity of civil society, UN and government practitioners to understand violence and its prevention and to implement effective responses. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is considered as kind of the violence against women, because it is harmful for women. It occurs many dangerous health issues for women for short and long terms. Circumcision increases the risk of psychological trauma and mother and infant mortality. FGM and its short and long terms effects classified by WHO Short term effects: “1. Immediate complications While anecdotal evidence is frequently mentioned, no study has ever been undertaken to determine the proportion of female child mortality that is attributable to FGM. Death can result from severe bleeding (haemorrhagic shock), by pain and trauma (neutrogenic shock) or by serious infection (septicaemia). 2. Short-term complications - Pain. Most genital mutilations are practiced without anaesthesia and cause severe pain. Lesions to the tissue surrounding the urethra, vagina, perineum and rectum can occur due to the use of rudimentary tools, poor lightening, operator’s defective sight or lack of expertise. - Haemorrhage. The excision of the clitoris causes the cut of the clitoral artery which has a strong flow and high pressure. - Shock. Immediately after the procedure, the girl may develop shock as a result of the sudden blood loss (hemorrhagic shock) and severe pain and trauma (neurogenic shock), which can be fatal. - Tetanus can occur due to the use of unsterilized equipment and the lack of tetanus toxoid injection. - Acute urine retention can result from swelling and inflammation around the wound, the girl’s fear of the pain of passing urine on the raw wound, or injury to the urethra. - Fracture or dislocation. Fractures of the clavicle, femur, or humerus, or dislocation of the hip joint, can occur if heavy pressure is applied to the struggling girl during the operation. - Infection is the most common consequence for obvious reasons: unhygienic conditions, use of unsterilized instruments, rubbing of herbs or ashes on the wounds, creating the right environment for the development of bacteria. - Failure to heal. The wounds may fail to heal quickly because of infection, irritation from urine or rubbing when walking, or an underlying condition, such as anaemia or malnutrition (WHO 2010). Long term effects: Long-term complications - Difficulty in passing urine can occur due to damage to the urethral opening or scarring of the meatus. - Recurrent urinary tract infection. Infection near the urethra can result in ascending urinary tract infections. - Pelvic infections are common in infibulated women. - Infertility can result if pelvic infection causes irreparable damage to the reproductive organs. - Keloid scar. Slow and incomplete healing of the wound and postoperative infection can lead to the production of excess connective tissue in the scar. - Abscess. Deep infection resulting from faulty healing or an embedded stitch can result in the formation of an abscess, which may require surgical incision. - Cysts and abscesses on the vulva. Implantation dermoid cysts are the most common complications of infibulation. - Clitoral neuroma. A painful neuroma can develop as a consequence of trapping of the clitoral nerve in a stitch or in the scar tissue of the healed wound, leading to hypersensitivity and dyspareunia. - Difficulties in menstruation can occur as a result of partial or total occlusion of the vaginal opening. Calculus formation in the vagina can occur as a result of the accumulation of menstrual debris and urinary deposits in the vagina or in the space behind the bridge of scar tissue formed after infibulation. - Fistulae (holes or tunnels) between the bladder and the vagina (vesicovaginal) and between the rectum and vagina (rectovaginal) can form as a result of injury during mutilation, de-infibulation, or re-infibulation, sexual intercourse, or obstructed labor. - Development of a “false vagina” is possible in infibulated women if, during repeated sexual intercourse, the scar tissue fails to dilate sufficiently to allow normal penetration. - Dyspareunia is a consequence of many forms of FGM because of scarring, reduced vaginal opening, and complications such as infection. - Sexual dysfunction can result in both partners because of painful intercourse, difficulty in vaginal penetration, and reduced sexual sensitivity following clitoridectomy. - Difficulties in providing gynaecologic care. The scarring resulting from type III mutilation may reduce the vaginal opening to such an extent that an adequate gynaecologic examination cannot be performed without cutting. - Problems in pregnancy and childbirth are common, particularly following type III mutilation, because the tough scar tissue that forms causes partial or total occlusion of the vaginal opening and prevents dilation of the birth canal.” (WHO 2010). Four Major Types of FGM According to Women Health Organization, Female genital mutilation is classified into four major types: 1- Clitoridectomy: partial or total removal of the clitoris (a small, sensitive and erectile part of the female genitals) and, in very rare cases, only the prepuce (the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris). 2- Excision: partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora (the labia are "the lips" that surround the vagina). 3- Infibulation: narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal. The seal is formed by cutting and repositioning the inner, or outer, labia, with or without removal of the clitoris. 4- Other: all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, e.g. pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area. Why People Practice FGM To find solution for any problem we have to start from the reasons of that problem. According to different survies delivered by many organizations, the reasons of FGM are: 1Tradition: FGM has been known since the Pharanic period in Egypt, and it has been spread in other African countries and therefore to the rest of the world. It is really very deep traditional culture in the African societies. More than 58% of people, who were surveyed, said that they practices FGM because it is a good tradition. 2Cleanliness: People think that women have undergone FGM are much cleaner than others who have not. 35% of people were surveyed practice FGM for this reason. 3Religious requirement: Many people think that FGM is required by Islam and Christianity. Both Muslims and Christians practice FGM for religious reason. 30% of the people were surveyed believe that FGM is a religious requirement. 4Preservation of virginity: so many people think that FGM is very good for decreasing the sexual desire for the women so she can preserve her virginity until she gets marriage. According to both Muslims and Christians’ beliefs in the conservative countries in Africa and Asia, sexual relationship out the marriage is prohibited, so preserving virginity is necessary. 5Better marriage prospects and enhancement of male sexual pleasure: Around 5% of men reject to marry from a woman has not undergone FGM. They do not trust to marry from women have not undergone FGM. Men believe that women have not been undergone FGM are more likely to have sexual relationship with others rather than him. In other hand, men also think that FGM enhance their sexual pleasure so if he marries from a woman has undergone FGM, he thinks that he is more likely to enjoy with her. 6Some people think that FGM is important for fertility and it makes the procedures of getting birth much easier and secured. 7People think that FGM is necessary for girls to grow up and if she is not circumcised, she will grow up slowly. 8Some people think that if they do not circumcise women, the female’s vagina will grow up and become similar to male’s penis and it will look ugly. The relationship between Religions and FGM Religion comes as the third reason behind FGM practicing according to the survey. More than 30% of people practice FGM for religious reasons. In the Islamic prospective, there are two views; the first one says that FGM is a part of Islam and it is an Islamic requirement. The second view says that FGM is not part of Islam and it is prohibited by Islam and because of those two views many people get confused. After searching and analyzing both the two Islamic views and the Christianity view, the paper reached to these results: 1The official and the main Islamic association is Egypt “Dar-Al-Iftaa” says that FGM is prohibited in Islam, because it is against sharia law and women rights. Sharia law protects children and women’s rights. 2The head of Al-Azhar, the biggest and oldest Islamic university and association in Islamic world, said that FGM is prohibited in Islam. 3The scholars support FGM are not officials scholars and they are not qualified enough to say an opinion in these kinds of issues according to the Islamic standards. 4Some Muslims countries are considered much conservative such as Saudi Arabic, Afghanistan Pakistan and Iran have a very low percentages of FGM coparing with the FGM focused countries. 5FGM goes back to Pharonic period in Egypt, which means it has been existed for thousands years before Christianity and Islam appeared. It gives evidence that FGM practice is not related to religions. 6Many Christians think that FGM is related to their religion according to the old text of their holly book. 7The Egyptian Christian’s scholars, Anba-Mosa, said that FGM does not have any relationship with Christianity and it is not mentioned at all in the bible. Anba-Mosa proved that the link between FGM and Christianity is just misunderstanding from majority of Christians in Egypt and African countries. FGM and Current Situation For many years the governments have announced so many policies for eliminating FGM practicing but they could not achieve their target for these reason: Most of the countries practice FGM are not democratic countries so usually people do not trust whatever comes from the government. Absence of rule of law in these countries create problem of the feasibility of issuing the laws against FGM. Almost all these countries have laws against FGM and all kinds of violence against women but people still practice it because of absence of rule of law and the undemocratic governments. To effect on people in these kinds of environments, the policies must come from down. It means people should participate in the discussing about FGM issue and they should be convinced that FGM should not be existed. The NGOs civil society and community leaders should be there in preparing and implementing the policies. The governments' policies have focused on issuing laws without thinking about how they can apply these laws, which created conflicts between people and governments. In the future policies, the governments should consider these points; - The policy should not focus only on the issuing laws but it should focus on changing the people mentality through education, civil society, NGOs, campaigning, media and community and religious leaders. - People should participate in the all the levels of discussing, issuing and implementing the relevant laws. - Women empowerment and development is the main key for developing the society and eliminate FGM. - One of the main reasons behind the low location of the developing countries in the international HDI list is the too bad condition of the women life and environment. - The low level of civic engagement for women in the societies in the development countries makes them too vulnerable to speak out about their issues and raise their voice against all kinds of violence including FGM. - The absence of the media covering for these issues to avoid conflicting with the dictator governments. - The governments’ policies should include men in the implementing them; usually men lead the families because most of the times men are the breadwinners so they have the capacity to effect on whole the family. Convincing men in the developing countries is very important to change the behavior of whole the society especially in the marginalized areas. - Considering the illiteracy rates and establishing strategies to eliminate them would have a positive impact on the FGM percentages in the societies. In other hand policies should focus on improving the professional skills for women as well. - It may cause dangerous consequences if the government copied other countries’ policies and apply them in its own country without considering the special culture, tradition, and customs of their people. In Egypt as example, establishing the Khula law (separation sought by wife) has resulted increasing of the flinching on marriage. - The education is an economic problem; many poor families only enroll their male kids in the school because they do not have enough money to spend for all their kids. Eliminating poverty should be considered while planning for eliminating FGM or empowerment women in general. - Creating a working map for the country to and coordinating with the local NGOs in each part of the country to evaluate and monitor the policy and divide the tasks according to the needs of whole the country. - The governments’ policies should include both rural and urban areas in order to impact whole the country. - The NGOs should be required to allocate a percentage of their programs to develop women and eliminate all kinds of violence against women including FGM. - The state should establish annual conferences with whole the relevant bodies including civil society, NGOs, institutions, researchers and community leaders to revise the yearly achievements and evaluate the whole processes. Policy Recommendation: 1. Involving women in education system is an effective way in Eliminating Violence against Women (EVAW) Literacy and lack of education for both men and women is the main factor for high rate of gender disparities. Lack of awareness about women rights, absence of respect for women as human, negative lifestyle and social behavior are the factors which are raised because of lack of education and widespread illiteracy. So it is demonstrated that less educated people are more likely to have this harmful practice. In another hand including awareness of students in schools can be another effective way for informing them about the harmful result and preventing of this practice in the future. Component Adopting affirmative policies or programs in countries which women are more under FGM can be effective way and increase opportunities for women to be empowered. FGM is mostly practicing among illiterate and traditional community so considering women in education scholarship, can be effective on women empowerment and awareness rising. Organizing Idea exchange, fellowship programs and global conference on women's right and EVAW would have a good impact on improving women's accessibility to justice. Strengthen the linkage and network with well-known universities or schools around the world in order to address development goals in particular eliminating of violence against women. Integrate more budget on establishing schools, universities and vocational training centers especially in rural areas, where people lack the benefits of education system. 2. Role of law Some countries have enacted laws that specifically prohibit FGM. Others have no specific laws, but existing general provisions of criminal codes may be applied to FGM. And, some have no laws at all. Egypt has done very good work according to prohibit the FGM by low, but the issue is the activating of the law, so government should try to take action to activate the law. In the case of Egypt and according to clause 241-242 in the criminal law “The doctor who does FGM surgery must be jailed for a period of 3 years and the girl’s father or responsible should be punished also” Clause 126 says that the FGM is prohibited” (Criminal Law, Egyptian Law). 3. Improve women's accessibility to legal help services Many of women those who are under FGM are living in isolation which is a fertile ground for domestic abuse. Immediate access to information, advice, consoling and support is one of the most essential responses to women experiencing violence and lack of it affects their ability to access locally based protection and services. Component - Set up a toll-free domestic violence hotline and text services focusing to the overall development of women who are victims of gender based violence through grassroots level. However the specific objectives are to a) establish a common understanding about the conceptual framework of gender advocacy and the key inputs required to develop demand-driven strategies, especially for rural women who are the victims of domestic violence and b) share contextual experiences among the different stakeholders from different parts of the state helpful for identifying appropriate gender based violence cases and remedial actions taken to address them. The activity is addressing the different forms of violence such as Domestic violence, including physical, psychological, sexual and financial abuse that take place within family relationships and forms a pattern of coercive and controlling behavior. This service is using new technology to reach victims and to provide a safer, more reliable, way of reporting, recording, and responding to reports of domestic violence. - Establishing Legal Help Centers in particular at remote areas can result in improving access of women to justice and legal supports. However there are many women in the rural areas who don’t have access to the LHCs but suffering from domestic violence and family conflicts and don’t know how to deal with the problems. 4. Marketing Strategy and publicity in order to eliminate gander base violence. Marketing is one of the most effective ways through which this problem can be addressed, effectively and efficiently. The reason, that being while GBV is considered to be an epidemic of daunting proportions - almost every woman has or will experience it in her lifetime irrespective of her marital status, educational qualifications and employment, it still a sensitive and culturally a very delicate issue to be publicly discussed and addressed. This gives an idea of the magnitude of the problem as well as the need to identify and implement a strategy that will be acceptable and not prove to be counter-productive for the victims. This where an appropriate marketing strategy plays a predominant role, This is the entry point to develop and implement a proactive yet discreet marketing strategy that would reach out to the silent victims of this crime and yet retain their anonymity and security intact. Components - Religious leaders in the community: Scholars and religious leaders are key community members and highly respected by the community members. For raising community awareness on women rights including FGM, the religious leaders are effective way to use. As some of scholars don’t know about the harmful result of this practice so, scholars training program is useful to raise the awareness of religious leaders on women rights and promote it in the community. Through this program they will be trained and actively engage in promoting awareness in the community for ending violence against women. - Civil Society Organizations shall be sensitized about the importance of the program and shall be encouraged to disseminate the information about this harmful practice through awareness campaigns, the community members will learn about their right to health, their right to be free from all kinds of violence. They will be aware about long term harmful results of this practice and also these kinds of campaigns will be useful to provide people to know the ways to prevent these health problems in the future. - Media, as one of the most powerful forces on earth for shaping the way we think, Potentially has a powerful role to play in transforming gender relations. Media provide spaces for women's voices to be heard and address women's and girls' specific needs in conflict situations. Through the media, public opinion is generated, strengthened, and nourished. For this reason media must represent appropriately the pluralism of images and discourses generated by society, in particular, those produced by women, because they also have the right to take part in this public conversation. It is important, then, that media content respects plurality and the diversity of voices, images, and words in favor of gender equity. If journalists do not make more informed and balanced choices with regard to the presentation of events and issues, women’s voices will continue to remain invisible and patriarchy will remain. video advertisements, TV spots and TV round tables shall be designed and broadcasted on National TV. Radio advertisements which have full coverage especially in rural areas and remote villages that should make the awareness campaign wider and more effective. - Organization of competitive cultural festivals in girls/boys schools – both to sensitize about women’s legal rights - Circulation of Posters and Stickers in both urban centers and rural areas covering universities, schools, clinics, local cooperatives and mosques. - Organization of focus-group discussions of major stakeholders engaged in this field at regular intervals. Reference World Health Organization (WHO). “Female genital mutilation and other harmful practices.” (accessed June 10, 2014). http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/fgm/prevalence/en/ The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). “Female genital mutilation/cutting; a statistical exploration,” (The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 2005). http://www.unicef.org/publications/files/FGM-C_final_10_October.pdf. ELhawary, Soad. "Violence against women in Egypt". Aguascalientes: United Nations Statistical Commission, 2009. http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/meetings/vaw/docs/Paper2.pdf. World Health Organization (WHO). “Female genital mutilation.” (accessed June 19, 2014). http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/