International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, 6 February: facing the issue to protect the integrity of women
In 2012, the UN General Assembly designated February 6th as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. The extent of this phenomenon is evident simply considering numbers. Worldwide, approximately 125 million women have suffered genital mutilation, while 4 millions girls every year are at risk, especially in some African countries.
A recent survey conducted in 2019 by the University of Milano-Bicocca and the Equal Opportunities Department reports that, as of January 1, 2019, 87,600 excised women were living in Italy, of whom 7,600 were minors.
According to the UN Secretary-General Guterres, the eradication of FGM will have a positive effect on women empowerment: “although primarily concentrated in 30 countries in Africa and the Middle East, FGM is a universal problem that continues to persist”.
As part of Goal 5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – which encompasses all actions towards the achievement of gender equality and women empowerment, target 5.3 is focused on the elimination of all harmful practices, including female genital mutilation.
Nevertheless, faith-based principles should not be related to those countries were FGM is still practiced.
In a rather hasty way, the source of this form of cruelty has often been ascribed to the Quranic norm. Although it is true that this kind of practice was widespread among the pre-Islamic Arab populations, responsibilities should not be attributed to Islam.
In this regard, it is worth mentioning the 2006 Conference on genital mutilation in Islàm purposely held in Cairo. A shared document condemning FGM in all its forms was approved, and FGM was defined as “a practice alien to Islam, which has no justification in Islam legal sources, in the Quran, in actions of the prophet Muhammad“. Moreover, the Grand Mufti of Egypt at that time, Sheikh ‘Alì Goma’a, made clear that FGM was an abject practice forbidden by Islam without any doubt or hesitation, thus implying that whoever practices it contravenes Islàm and the Quranic norm.
In this delicate context, education is of particular importance, as it becomes a fundamental tool for overcoming this phenomenon. Students of UniCamillus’ courses face in their study path many ethical issues, including female genital mutilation. With the dissertation of ethical issues, it becomes easier to acquire a conscious personal opinion on the topics covered.
However, there are women, even with adequate levels of education, who decide to voluntarily undergo excision. For example it may be mentioned Sylvia Yeko, a 26-year-old Ugandan girl, who defying the law and the disapproval of her family decided to be mutilated. That case, namely voluntarily undergoing a mutilating practice, is emblematic not only because she was an educated woman, but also because with the excision she wanted to adhere to a tradition that in her opinion had to be defended and cultivated.
This highlights the problem of tradition in an absolutely ad hoc vision. In fact, invoking a generic defense of ancestral rites is not enough to protect and safeguard a horrible barbarism such as FGM which also has important psychological consequences.
Indeed, it is not uncommon for women who have undergone mutilation to suffer from PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder), which is a disorder that develops after exposure to a traumatic event. The psychological stress resulting from being subjected to the practice of FGM can cause behavioral disorders. Additionally, women can suffer from anxiety and depression.
Stopping this phenomenon has become a fundamental need to protect the physical and mental health of women who are deprived of their femininity. The first level of action is represented by the regulatory aspect. These are laws that belong to different national experiences. Each state must internally carry out prevention, dissemination and communication activities. Therefore, It is not just a question of raising the threshold of knowledge, but of helping to increase the level of awareness on the one hand and on the other the notion of respect, not only for others but certainly also for oneself.
There is also a plurality of projects on the subject. For example, UNFPA, in concert with UNICEF, has been leading a specific project since 2008 which targets 17 countries in Africa and the Middle East and also supports regional and global initiatives.
A specific UNFPA campaign, entitled “a piece of me”, aims to raise women’s awareness so that they can take an active role to stop this practice.
Also worth mentioning is the European network END FGM, which has as its main objective the realization of “sustainable European action” against these mutilations.
Lastly, this discussion should at least take into account the axiological system on which the society, or rather societies are based. Considering that every society is characterized by a different system of values, the question arises whether values are transient and modifiable or immutable. From a mere juridical point of view, the penal code aims at guaranteeing public order, while philosophical concerns tend to the protection of morals, which, however, is considered in permanent evolution and constant adaptation to changes in society. The debate can not imply an alleged supremacy of one tradition over another. It should rather respect ethnic peculiarities while encouraging the adoption of common values that keep in the highest consideration the human being and his whole integrity, not just physical.
Prof. L.E.Pacifici Noja, Moral Philosophy UniCamillus
Prof. Ugo G. Pacifici Noja, Direttore CIRS UniCamillus
