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Female Genital Mutilation is a horrific crime against human rights practiced in many communities in the world. It is time to call for an action to stop it.
Rooted in patriarchy, the origins of the practice of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) take many forms. According to ancient Egyptians, the clitoris was seen as a “deformity and source of shame”. It was cut off to reduce the appetite for sexual intercourse among women. In Catholic-dominated countries of the west, the procedure was carried out to prevent women from masturbating, an act that was then referred to as a wrongful mental condition (nymphomania).
In many cases, the procedure in unsafe. It is done without an anaesthesia, often using scissors, blades, broken glass pieces and tin can lids. The physical and psychological impact is large, ranging from infections, severe pain, bleeding, damage to urinary organs to pain during sex, lack of sexual pleasure, complications during pregnancy and death in extreme cases.
In a recent report released by the UN, the startling truth about female genital mutilation (FGM) came to light. The report estimated that 200 million women/girls alive today have undergone some form of the procedure. To set things in perspective, almost one out of ten women living today are victims of FGM.
While the numbers itself are concerning, three distinct aspects of the report stand out for me. And I believe that these could be a bigger problem than the phenomenon itself.
First, the report explicitly states that the exact number of girls and women who have undergone female genital mutilation is unknown. It implies that national governments are yet to wake up to the reality of this widespread evil and do not have processes and systems in place to identify and account for the number of cases. And in the absence of statistics, how can policy makers take stock of the situation and develop ways to address it?
According to the report, 60 million of the 200 million affected hail from one country – Indonesia. As recently as in 2013, the Ministry of Health in Indonesia took an important step forward. It included questions on FGM in household surveys that offered some perspective on the high degree of prevalence.
A part of me is glad that societies are finally talking about need to preserve women’s sexual freedom and a violation in any form would be a stinging stab at a fundamental human right. However, the cynic in me is enmeshed in this question – what if every other country began including such questions in census/survey and it turned out that the problem is much bigger than we had anticipated? And if that turned out to be the case, are we equipped to set things right?
Second, the report also states that FGM continues to prevail across Europe, Australia and North America – the so-called developed pockets of the world. More than half a million females in the United States have either undergone FGM or are at serious risk, according to a 2013 study. An estimated 137,000 women alive in the UK have undergone the procedure.
In such countries, where women enjoy relatively greater degrees of freedom and equality, one would presume that such practices would have been abolished a long time ago. On the contrary, such statistics come as a rude shock to the conventional belief that the practice rarely occurs outside of Middle East and Africa. And this only validates my earlier hypothesis that the problem is bigger than anticipated.
Thirdly, the report states that an additional 10 million women who have been affected by FGM are solely due to population growth. As population continues to grow in geometrical proportions, it is only natural that more women are victimized over a relatively shorter period of time. Current provisions are insufficient to keep pace with the rapid population growth. And it is imperative to devise new solutions fast and implement them even faster.
While statistics present one side of the story, they fail to move me. What makes me writhe in anger is the abstract form of reinforcement FGM musters in the name of “tradition” or “culture”.
It is evident that female genital mutilation cuts across all imaginary boundaries of religion, geography and socio-economic strata. It is a form of gender-based violence – a manifestation of an attempt to control the sexuality of women.
And this is my humble attempt to raise awareness and call for united action.
Published earlier here.
Image source: stop it by Shutterstock.
Having discovered my passion for the written word, writing became my constant love affair. I write about women, lifestyle, business and economics. I tend to philosophize a tad too much and erupt in passionate debate read more...
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People say that women are the greatest enemies of women. I vehemently disagree. It is the patriarchal mindset that makes women believe in the wrong ideology.
The entire world celebrates International Women’s Day on March 8, 2024. It should be a joyful day, but unfortunately, not all women are entitled to this privilege, as violence against women is at its peak. The experience of oppression pushes many women to choose freedom. As far as patriotism is concerned, feminism is not a cup of tea in this society.
What happens when a woman decides to stand up for herself? Does this world easily accept the decisions of women in this society? What inspires them to be free of the clutches of the oppression that women have faced for ages? Most of the time, women do not get the chance to decide for themselves. Their lives are always at the mercy of someone, which can be their parents, siblings, husband, or children.
In some cases, women do not feel the need to make any decisions. They are taught to obey the patriarchal system, which makes them believe that they are right. In my family, I was never taught to make decisions on my own. It was always my parents who bought dresses and all that I needed.
14 years after her last feature film Dhobi Ghat, storyteller extraordinaire comes up with her new film, Laapataa Ladies, a must watch.
*Some spoilers alert*
Every religion around the world dictates terms to women. The onus is always on women to be ‘modest’ and cover their faces and bodies so men can’t be “tempted”, rather than on men to keep their eyes where they belong and behave like civilized beings. So much so that even rape has been excused on the grounds of women eating chowmein or ‘men will be men’. I think the best Hindi movie retort to this unwanted advice on ‘akeli ladki khuli tijori ki tarah hoti hai’ (an alone woman is like an open jewellery box) came from Geet in Jab We Met – Kya aap gyan dene ke paise lete hain kyonki chillar nahin hain mere paas.
The premise of Laapataa Ladies is beautifully simple – two brides clad in the ghunghat that covers their identity get mixed up on a train. Within this Russian Doll, you get a comedy of errors, a story of getting lost, a commentary on patriarchy’s attitude towards women, a mystery, and a tale of finding oneself, all in one. Done with a mostly light touch that has you laughing and nodding along.
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