Home | Business News | Browse by Publication | A | Ahfad Journal

Sloganeering and over simplification approach to the complex issue of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the Sudan.

Article Excerpt
Abstract

The serious and complex issue of FGM is often addressed by international agencies and other actors through sloganeering approach. For instance, the long standing slogan (by UNICEF and other agencies) of sensitizing Sudanese midwives and traditional birth attendants (TBAs) to convert them into advocates against FGM practice has been challenged by Abdel Magied and others (2003a). UNICFE, by distributing to midwives and TBAs modern kits for safe delivery, has instead promoted medicalization of FGM practice.

The slogan of high level of education as the favourate vehicle to overcome the hurdle has to be reconsidered with caution. This is because, highly educated Sudanese women with high socio-economic status practice recircumcision at a higher percentage than that of women with no or low educational level and low socio-economic status (Abdel Magied etal, 2000).

Over--simplification of the issue of FGM, by neglecting its cultural complexity will stream anti-FGM efforts into a cul de sac. However, to abolish FGM practice we should first decode or decipher its cultural complexity to cure the "Culture Inhibition Syndrome" which is resisting the positive change (AbdelMagied etal, 2003b). Hence availing "qualitative" data base on FGM is of vital importance for the modulation of strategy/strategies and viable and effective interventions for ultimate abolition of FGM practice.

[TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]

INTRODUCTION:

The basis for the title of this brain storming article is some views that had been before projected by Judy El Bushra (2000) in her article entitled: "Rethinking Gender and Development Practice for the Twenty-first Century":

The author wrote her article based on 20 years of experience in boosting the image of gender equality and gender transformation in a development agency, ACORD, working directly with communities in Sub-saharan Africa.

In her article, Judy emphasizes that in development agencies, (both women and men project a great deal of confusion when discussing G,M) in the context of their work. She classified the confusion as falling into three broad areas:

1. Confusion about the discourse "What is gender about? Who defines it? Who is and who is not privileged to speak authoritatively about it?"

2. Confusion...

View this article FREE - Now for a Limited Time, try Goliath Business News
Free for 3 Days!