In many communities, female mutilation of the genitals is considered one part to a female’s passage of rites in ceremonies, which marks the child coming of a certain age. This belief of harmful practice supposedly controls the females’ sexuality with this kind of mutilation being done, along with the more important belief that this practice is keeping secure the virginity of the woman before she is married or to keep her remaining chaise afterwards.
These rites of harmful practice dates way back even before Islam or Christianity were practiced. Examples of harmful practices throughout the ages include England’s medieval times using metal belts for chastity on young women and some older women, this was suppose to make the men feel assured that their wives or betrothed’s chastity remained in tact while they were away on a journey. Rome of ancient times used rings made of metal, which were said to be put through slave women’s labia minora and kept them from having intercourse and getting pregnant. These are just some of harmful practice’s which have been used through history. Some areas such as the Middle East, Asia, the Peninsula of Arabia, Africa and Australia have communities which still practice some of these traditions to this day.
Female mutilation of the genitals is one harmful practice mostly done due to the communities cultural and religious beliefs. Women in these communities of harmful practices feel that they must have this done to be considered a Muslim of good standing and because they will not be considered good marriage material if this practice has not been done.
We should all try to find ways to help these children and women who cannot help themselves at the moment by eliminating harmful practices like these. How can you help get rid of harmful practice like these and much worse? Here are just a few ideas to start down the road to recovery and helping them have a much brighter and better future for these children and women:
On a National level legislation which would prohibit this harmful practice like female mutilation of the genitals for the children and women should be set up and sent to the appropriate committee to get the ball rolling toward a solution to this problem. Added information in sex and health programs in the education industry should be made to include the effects of harmful practices like these.
Non-National ways to eliminate harmful practices around the World to our children and the women as well, include making it mandatory to register all divorces, births, marriages and deaths in these communities, this will help some children from just disappearing and no one noticing it, women too. These government’s need to recognize and advance women’s rights of reproduction, which lets them be the deciding factor in the number of children they want to have. Also, condemnation by the government’s should happen openly, on any violence or mistreatments that occur to children or women especially, they must also put a plan of elimination of harmful practices into effect.
What if something like this happened to someone you loved? A Sister, Niece, Daughter or your Mother, wouldn’t you do everything you could too help end this terrible violence against them? We all can help in the elimination of these and other mistreatments against our fellow people of the World. We need to gain knowledge on these particular problems and find ways to get the governments who implement these practices to listen. These women and children have no choices when it comes down to the practices inflicted upon them due to their culture or religion, so we have to step up and be their voices for them.