The Tostan-Unicef basic education program has given participants the opportunity to understand the dangers resulting from the practice as well as to share their new knowledge with relatives and neighbours.
Plus d'une centaine de villages du département de Kédougou, dans la région de Tambacounda (est) ont annoncé le week-end dernier leur décision d'abandonner l'excision, pratique subie par environ 20% de la population féminine du Sénégal, ont rapporté mercre
Mme Tongdo Sondé, 60 ans, et les mères de sept fillettes qu'elle venait d'exciser ont été arrêtées le 8 mars dernier dans la région de Kaya (nord de Ouagadougou), rapporte lundi le quotidien privé Le Pays, citant la gendarmerie locale.
Female circumcision (the partial or complete removal of the
external female genitalia) is widely practised in the Sudan. It has persisted
for centuries because of lack of awareness and knowledge about its adverse
physical and psychosocial consequences and because of a firm belief in its
supposed benefits of ensuring female chastity and securing marriage and
subsequent harmonious family life.
Why are women circumcised? These operations are medically unnecessary, agonisingly painful and extremely
dangerous. Some girls die from shock and loss of blood. Others develop
psychiatric problems from the trauma. Many have chronic infections lasting a
lifetime and there are numerous troubles with childbirth, intercourse and
menstruation.
Most of the estimated 70 million circumcised women and girls live in certain parts of
Africa and the Middle East. There the practice thrives for a variety of social
reasons.
