*This blog was originally published by the Asia Network to End FGM/C and is being reshared here with their perrmisson, for more information about the Asia Network to End FGM/C click the links below*
Social Media:
Instagram: ARROW
Facebook: Asia Network to End FGM/C
By Huda Syyed
While there is a growing body of work surrounding FGC in some parts of the world, countries like Pakistan lack in data and understanding of the practice. To collect data on FGC and understand the practice from a Pakistani lens, it is essential to approach it with contextual emphasis, care and compassion.
Global efforts and data are available, but not everywhere
The practice of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) has been widely addressed through data, policy intervention and awareness in different parts of the word. UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation has worked on changing the narrative surrounding this social norm in African countries (UNICEF, 2024). The African Union’s Maputo Protocol is equally involved in contributing to gender equality by ending the tradition of FGC (African Union, 2024). In addition to these efforts, Sustainable Development Goal number 5 aims to end FGC by the year 2030. Despite all these efforts, there is very limited or close to no data in South Asia. With the exceptions of Indonesia and Maldives (Bamber & Riches, 2020; Ministry of Health of Republic of Indonesia & RISKESDAS, 2013; UNICEF, 2020), other countries have no data on its national prevalence, one of which includes Pakistan (Farouki et al., 2023).
FGC and women’s bodies in Pakistan
So far in Pakistan, FGC is known to be practised among members of the Sheedi community and the minority Muslim community of Dawoodi Bohras (Habibi, 2021; IRIN, 2011). Anantnarayan et al. 's (2018) study which focused on the Dawoodi Bohra community in India suggested that FGC is a “highly secretive procedure” and usually Type 1a was performed on young girls (p. 72). When this secrecy is paired with the socio-cultural expectations in society; the silence surrounding FGC is amplified. Any discussion about women’s bodies, sexualities or genitals in public spaces or gatherings is considered a taboo topic and mostly discouraged. With the secrecy and shame surrounding women’s genitalia, there is a lack of understanding and awareness about FGC in Pakistan.
Communities need to feel safe when they speak
It is pertinent to note that the World Health Organization (2024) considers FGC to be a harmful custom with no health benefits. Contrary to this, practising communities believe that FGC contributes to hygiene, beautification, purity and curbing sexuality (Anantnarayan et al., 2018). While FGC is a controversial and debatable practice, it is also an intergenerational ritual valued by community members. The latter must be taken into account to understand how it is practised and the ways in which it can be addressed. The involvement of community members is important in deconstructing FGC and providing contextual solutions that raise awareness about the non beneficial side of FGC. This is only possible if communities feel safe to open up and speak about FGC. Khan et al.’s (2018) study mentioned conversations with Pakistan Bohra community members and it suggested that criminalising FGC could push the practice “underground” or into further secrecy (p. 69). It can make practising communities feel as if they are being attacked. This shows that addressing FGC requires that researchers, advocates and organisations create a safe environment where open dialogue is welcome.
Taking things out of context can be harmful, let’s adopt a community-focused approach
In the past, FGC practising communities have been framed using a colonial lens which has painted them as barbarians or primitive people with abnormal customs (Njambi, 2004). Western social constructs are often imposed as moral norms on non-Western communities which prevents a contextual understanding of FGC and, thus, prevents community-focused solutions that are practical and feasible. Solutions to curb FGC must come inwardly from within the community and this can only happen if a caring and compassionate approach is adopted. Instead of villainising mothers who made their daughters undergo FGC many years ago, it is better to understand what encouraged them to do this. It is essential to deconstruct the complexity of being a part of a community where FGC is normalised. In doing so, we can start an open dialogue and create a safe space which will allow these women to provide solutions on how FGC can be curbed for present and future generations. The community’s context and involvement are the most important tools to raising awareness and developing solutions to stop the practice. Without context and compassion, researchers and advocates risk pushing communities into an underground culture which will discourage conversations about FGC in countries like Pakistan. A good starting point for Pakistan to address FGC would be to engage in caring conversations with willing community members.
About the writer
Huda Syyed recently submitted her doctoral thesis as a PhD candidate at Charles Darwin University. Her qualitative research focuses on the practice of Female Genital Cutting (FGC) and deconstructs its secrecy and multi-modal operation in Pakistani society. She uncovers the complexity of this secretive practice through a Pakistani lens, using culture and community as contextual indicators. She discusses the collaborative functioning of religion, culture, and society and emphasises the need for situating the custom within the community to understand it better. Her publication, “Lack of data and dialogue on Female Genital Mutilation in Pakistan” (2022) in the Journal of International Women’s Studies explored Pakistan’s current position on the issue. Her written work and efforts are concentrated in areas of gender, women’s issues, politics and positionality and society. She has worked in the capacities of researcher, project coordinator and writer at non-profit organisations and academic institutions. She has also taught and tutored courses focused on international issues and indigenous issues.
References
1. African Union. (2024). Maputo protocol on the rights of women in Africa: Commemorating 20 years. https://au.int/en/newsevents/20230705/maputo-protocol-20- years
2. Anantnarayan, L., Diler, S. & Menon, N. (2018). The clitoral hood a contested site: Khafd or female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in India. We Speak Out; Nari Samata Manch. https://www.wespeakout.org/resources.php,
https://www.wespeakout.org/images/files/pdf/fgmc_study_results_jan_2018.pdf
3. Bamber, E. R. & Riches, L. (2020). Asia network to end female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) consultation report: “I didn’t know it happened there”. Arrow, Orchid Project, Asia Network to End FGM/C. https://arrow.org.my/publication/asia-network-to-end female-genital-mutilation-cutting-fgm-c-consultation-report/
4. Farouki, L., El-Dirani, Z., Abdulrahim, S., Akl, C., Akik, C. & McCall, S. J. (2022). The global prevalence of female genital mutilation/cutting: A systematic review and meta analysis of national, regional, facility, and school-based studies. PLoS Medicine, 19(9), e1004061. https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1004061
5. Habibi, M. A. A. (2021). FGM and sexual functioning: Insights from the Maasai and Bohra community. [Honour’s thesis, Habib University]. ResearchGate. http://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.27168.51204
6. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation
7. IRIN News. (2011, 29 December). Pakistan: Low awareness of hidden fgm practices. Thomson Reuters Foundation News. https://news.trust.org/item/20111229203000-us8xl/
8. Ministry of Health of Republic of Indonesia & RISKESDAS. (2013). Basic health research RISKESDAS 2013 [Research report]. Indonesia Agency of Health Research and Development. https://ghdx.healthdata.org/record/indonesia-basic-health-research-2013
9. Njambi, W. N. (2004). Dualisms and female bodies in representations of African female circumcision: A feminist critique. Feminist Theory, 5(3), 281–303. https://doi.org/10.1177/1464700104040811
10. United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. (2024b). UNFPA-UNICEF joint programme on the elimination of female genital mutilation: Accelerating the elimination of an extreme form of violence against girls. https://www.unicef.org/protection/unfpa-unicef-joint-programme-eliminating-fgm