Rethinking the Definition of Medicalized Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting.
Female genital mutilation/cutting
Female genital mutilation/cutting scenarios
Medicalized female genital mutilation/cutting
United Nations sustainable development goals
Journal
Archives of sexual behavior
ISSN: 1573-2800
Titre abrégé: Arch Sex Behav
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 1273516
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
29 Jan 2024
29 Jan 2024
Historique:
received:
01
06
2023
accepted:
29
11
2023
revised:
29
11
2023
medline:
30
1
2024
pubmed:
30
1
2024
entrez:
29
1
2024
Statut:
aheadofprint
Résumé
In 2015, the international community agreed to end Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) by 2030. However, the target is unlikely to be met as changes in practice, including medicalized female genital mutilation/cutting (mFGM/C), challenge abandonment strategies. This paper critically reviews the current World Health Organization (WHO) definition of mFGM/C to demonstrate that mFGM/C, as currently defined, lacks detail and clarity, and may serve as an obstacle to the collection of credible, reliable, and comparable data relevant to targeted FGM/C prevention policies and programs. The paper argues that it is necessary to initiate a discussion on the revision of the current WHO definition of mFGM/C, where different components (who-how-where-what) should be taken into account. This is argued by discussing different scenarios that compare the current WHO definition of mFGM/C with the actual practice of FGM/C on the ground. The cases discussed within these scenarios are based on existing published research and the research experience of the authors. The scenarios focus on countries where mFGM/C is prevalent among girls under 18 years, using data from Demographic Health Surveys and/or Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, and thus the focus is on the Global South. The paper places its arguments in relation to wider debates concerning female genital cosmetic surgery, male genital circumcision and consent. It calls for more research on these topics to ensure that definitions of FGM/C and mFGM/C reflect the real-world contexts and ensure that the human rights of girls and women are protected.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38286965
doi: 10.1007/s10508-023-02772-7
pii: 10.1007/s10508-023-02772-7
doi:
Types de publication
Letter
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Subventions
Organisme : research foundation flanders
ID : 12g3322N
Informations de copyright
© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
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