Even though Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is illegal in Tanzania but in some parts of the country the practice is being done underground meaning that, it is done in secrecy. Female Genital Mutilation, also known as female genital cutting or female circumcision in some parts of the world it the procedure that involves the partial removal or total of female genital parts.
Tanzania has more that 17 percent prevalence of FGM of type II and III. Section 169A of sexual offences special provisions act of 1998 (SOSPA) prohibits FGM. Punishment is imprisonment of from five to fifteen years or fine not exceeding 300,000/- or both.
There have been some arrests under this legislation but no reports of prosecutions yet. Tanzania ratified the Maputo Protocol in 2007.
The World Health Organization (WHO) describes Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as comprising of all procedures that involve the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other intentional mutilation of the female genital organs, whether for cultural or any other non-therapeutic reasons.
According to research findings on the practice of FGM in Tanzania conducted by the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) for past few years, it is estimated that about 18% of Tanzanian women undergo FGM.
However, there are two types of FGM mostly practiced in Tanzania, WHO’s defines of type II FGM is ‘partial or total removal of clitoris and the labia minora, with or without cutting out of labia maojora. Type III is narrowing the vaginal lips with creation of a covering seal by cutting and repositioning the labia minora or the labia majora with or without cutting of clitoris (infibulations).
FGM is a human rights abuse to women and girl child although it is has been accepted in some cultural of religious group but it is deep-rooted cultural and traditional values. It is practiced during initiation ceremonies when girls who have reached the age of puberty are mutilated of their genitalia. The practice is believed to be a sign of passage from childhood to adulthood. The girls are taught on the roles of women in the community.
Other reasons for the practice have been the need to control a woman’s sexual desire, so that she remains faithful to her husband; belief that the female genitalia becomes more hygienic if removed and belief that the clitoris will kill a child coming through the birth canal. There is also a belief that performing FGM on the girl child pleases the ancestors; hence will protect the family from harm. If the girl child is not circumcised, they believe harm (bad omen) will befall the family.
FGM has physical, psychological and sexual consequences. The post-FGM health issues show permanent physical damage to the girl child. There is continuous bleeding, tetanus infections because of the tools used, loss of woman’s elasticity at the vaginal opening which causes problems in childbirth. Apart from the physical damage to the girl child, there are psychological problems emanating from nightmare of the pains of mutilation.
The health model campaign defines FGM as harmful to women’s health (physical and psychological, trauma, sterility, damage to the urethra and anus, tetanus, child and maternal mortality and more recently HPV and HIV infection).
In that end the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has declared February 6 as the International Day against FGM because the practice violates the basic rights of women and girls. There is need for Tanzania to borrow a leaf from Egypt, where the Ministry of Health and Population has banned all forms of female genital cutting since 2007. And it is a criminal offence for anyone found indulging in this practice and the prevalence has gone down, although in the prehistoric times the practice was rampant.
A 12-year-old Egyptian girl, Badour Shaker, died in June 2007 during or soon after a circumcision, prompting the Egyptian Health Ministry to ban the practice. She died from an overdose of anaesthesia.
The girl's mother, Zeinab Abdel Ghani, paid the equivalent of US$9.00 (£4.60 pounds sterling, €6.82 euro) to a female doctor, in an illegal clinic in the southern town of Maghagh, for the operation. The mother stated that the doctor tried to give her $3,000 to withdraw a lawsuit, but she refused.
What makes the fight against FGM is about cultural, religious and social factors but through education things can be done. There is an issue of income, where the midwives (Ngariba) collect money from the practice (FGM) to make ends meet in the rural centers. There also need to educate the community about the dangers and the side effects of carrying out FGM.
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