Female circumcision essays

Female circumcision essays Female circumcision is one of the more harmful traditions still practiced in many parts of the developing world. The custom involves removing some or most of the external female genitalia, usually accompanied by a traditional ceremony, and generally before the girl reaches puberty (Long 2000). The term genital mutilation has increasingly been used to try to indicate the tragic effects of the more drastic forms of female circumcision. The practice of female circumcision should be abolished because of its harmful effects on those subjected to it. The different sector of society around the world should unite and carefully study the problem to formulate a solution and held eradicate the harmful traditional practice. Recently, there has been great interest in the subject where it is widespread such as Africa, Indonesia, and Sudan. The purpose of discussing this sensitive topic is to focus attention to the harmful effects this practice has on the health of women and children. It is also important to mention that female circumcision is a major health problem, the management of which constitutes an immense burden on the already strained health facilities of those countries in which the circumcisions are practiced. Female circumcision is usually performed on girls at the age of seven or eight years old; although, some African tribes operate on infants while older societies operate on young adult women. Circumcision is a traditional performed by birth attendants, midwives or an elder. These people in the village may have experience; yet, no appropriate medical training. In most circumcisions, the quack doctor, operates under poor hygienic conditions using non-sterile knifes or sometimes a sharp stone without anesthesia. According to Smucker, the severity of the operation is generally differentiated into four basic types. Type one is the equivalent to male circumcision and consists of cutting the clitoral prepuce circumfe...