Female Genital Mutilation

 

Female denotes a sex that can bear offspring or produce eggs, distinguished biologically by the production of gametes (ova) which can be fertilized by male gametes. 

The word “Genitalia” is used to refer to the reproductive organs of male and female. 

The entire parts of a female’s genital are completely essential for breeding healthy children, sexual pleasure and well being. 

The female external genitals are as well important as the internal, as they aid the entry of sperm into the body, protect the internal genital organs from infectious organisms and Provide sexual pleasure.

    Female Genital Mutilation is a process by which the genital of a female child is altered by partially or totally removing the external genitals of a female child. 

The procedure causes a serious injury on the victim as well as a life time abnormality.

Removing a layer of skin tissue - the foreskin- during male circumcision will have no impact on other penile tissues and that’s why medically it is accepted.

 In fact, male circumcision can reduce the risk of developing penile cancer and even HIV (Human Immune Deficiency). 

Some persons render circumcision on a girl-child proper because of the unharmful effects of circumcision on the male child; meaning that, since circumcision goes well with the male it should or can go well for the female too.

 Little do they know that the entire female genitals are essential for reproduction, safe child delivery and sexual pleasure and that is why female circumcision is not accepted in most religion and even medically, because any removal of the external genital will alter the normality of the child’s sexuality. Unlike the male child, circumcision has no effects on the sexuality of the child.

Efforts have been put in place in the past and presently to stop the dilemma but with the look of things more prevention strategies has to be put in place such as more public awareness as some cultures in Nigeria still believe in the tradition of circumcising the female child. 

Some culture sees it as a rite of passage into full womanhood, while others see it as a way to suppress a woman’s sexuality. Female genital mutilation has no benefits and often leads to long term physical and psychological consequences. Severe pain, prolonged bleeding, infection, infertility and even death and complications during childbirth.