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Citation |
El Dawla AS. Reprod. Health Matters 1999; 7(13): 128-136. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 1999, Elsevier Publishing) |
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DOI |
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PMID |
unavailable |
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Abstract |
Five years after the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, it is time to evaluate where Egyptian activism has brought the millions of Egyptian girls who are exposed to female circumcision, female tahara (purity), female genital cutting or female genital mutilation (FGM). Whatever we decide to call it, it remains the same procedure: the [`]trimming' of the female genitalia to convey a message of control over the sexuality and social position of women and girls. Women themselves appear to defend this painful custom and take part in performing it on others. This is because the issue goes beyond genital mutilation and has to do with women's perception of their role in the world. At the ICPD, NGOs gained space to participate and issues like reproductive rights, abortion and FGM were the subject of heated discussion. Since then, FGM has become a highly politicised issue in Egypt, reflecting a range of political agendas on the status of women and feminist issues. The FGM Task Force has become a reference point for activism against FGM in Egypt. Our approach has taken a new turn: human rights and women's rights have become central themes, linked with health and development-related aspects. |