News

Laura MacDonald
(This page does not contain medical advice)

US blasts Egypt's record on genital mutilation and other human rights issues

Wednesday 25th February 2009
A report issued by the US State Department has criticised Egypt's record on human rights, citing issues such as abuse of prisoners and mistreatment of minorities and women. The report highlights the problem of "discriminatory traditional or cultural attitudes and practices" and cites female genital mutilation (FGM) as one of these practices.

There is no mention of forced or coerced male genital mutilation despite UNAIDS stating that it is a "violation of a range of human rights, including rights to dignity, bodily integrity and personal autonomy".

This may be because America practices over 3,000 involuntary male circumcisions every single day...

What does FGM in Egypt involve?

FGM procedures vary widely in Egypt, and contrary to popular belief do not always involve the excision of the external clitoris Another US State Department Report on Egyptian FGM gives data on the prevalence of its different forms: in 64% both the lips hood and clitoral glans are excised, in 19% of cases just the hood or the clitoral glans are cut (in some cases just incised), and in 8% of cases only the labia are cut. The procedure we know as 'pharaonic circumcision' (excision and infibultation or type III FGM) is actually rare in modern day Egypt - although it remains common in some parts of Africa to which it spread in ancient times.

Although banned in 1959 FGM in Egypt apears to have continued unabated, and in 2005 it was reported that some 96% of adult women had undergone the procedure. In response to both Egyptian and international concerns about health issues, this traditional mutilation has been increasingly medicalised, initially with the support of the government. UNICEF reports that 60% of procedures have been done by doctors or nurses in recent years.

International outrage against the medicalisation of FGM reached fever pitch when in 2007 11 year old Budour Ahmed Shaker died from an overdose of general anaesthetic while being circumcised (9 year old Raju Miah died in 1995 in England in similar circumstances but with a rather quieter public response). A new law was passed in 2008, banning any female genital cutting by anyone excepting surgeries for genuine medical reasons

The US State Department has previously commented approvingly that: "Egyptian activists working on the subject are beginning to shift efforts from an approach based on health concerns (that appears to have caused parents to resort increasingly to doctors rather than traditional birth attendants to perform the procedure), to one based on bodily integrity and women’s status."

NORM-UK approves this move to give Egypt's daughters their bodily integrity rights including rights not to suffer even the mildest forms of FGM. We question however why America's sons don't deserve the same respect.