Female

Genital Mutilation IN EGYPT

• Female Circumcision is another “ life crises” that Egyptian girls have to pass through before they reach womanhood.
• Results from Egypt Demographic & Health Survey (EDHS, 1995) indicated that the practice of female circumcision is virtually universal (97%) among women in reproductive age in Egypt. It also showed that there is a widespread support of the practice as 82% of women supported it while 13% wanted to end it and 5% were not sure what should be done. Support for the practice was not greatly influenced by women age, but there was a strong association with residence, educational level and work status. Urban women, more educated women (secondary & higher) and working women for cash were less likely to support the continuation of the practice. The main reason given for support of the practice was that it is a good tradition (58%), while only 31% said it is required by religion. The results showed also that 50% of the women had circumcised their daughters and 38% intend to have daughter circumcised. Circumcisions attended by medical personnel reached up to 55% of cases of daughters, versus 17% of mothers. While Daya (TBA) were the main practitioners for mothers (62%). Only 28% of daughters were circumcised at a doctor’s office, clinics or hospitals, while the majority was at home (67%).

 

EGYPTIAN MEDICAL PROFESSION DILEMMA

The health complications are known,: include the immediate complications of hemorrhage, severe pain, fractured bones, possible HIV transmission, and shock; long-term complications such as keloid scar formation, painful intercourse, chronic infection, and problems in pregnancy and childbirth. Psychological problems are associated with sexual dysfunction caused by painful intercourse, the loss of trust in care-givers, and depression

• Egyptian health policy has shifted from trying to control the practice by keeping it under government’ supervision towards condemnation.
• In 1994, Ministry of health issued a decree that asked state hospitals to set aside one day a week for performing the procedure, and lifted the 35-year ban on FGM in public hospitals. The government claims this move was intended to ensure the procedure is performed by trained physicians under hygienic conditions. FGM in Egypt changed from an accepted custom to a political hot topic after the news network CNN in September 1994 featured the circumcision of a 9-year-old girl from Cairo. The footage embarrassed Egyptians and fueled an outcry by women's groups and non-governmental organizations.
• Also 1994 saw the establishment of a Task Force against FGM, which launched a national campaign to reverse this ruling. Challenges remain, however, including a suit filed in court by a group of professors of Ob\Gyn who claim that prohibiting the procedure in a clinical setting will result in clandestine operations that endanger women's health

 MEDICAL EDUCATION IS A STEP

• The action against FGM is hard and needs long time to change people’s attitude. But our experience demonstrates that it is not impossible to change attitude of physicians if they are trained and educated by it and by its effects.
Reference:Amany Refaat, Galal Lotfy, and Akram Kamal,: Introducing Female Genital Mutilation to medical students. Proceeding of the Ninth International Congress on Women's Health Issues. June, 1998, p 1- 12
 
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