Comparative Review of Criminalization of Female Circumcision in African Countries

Female genital mutilation, sometimes referred to as female circumcision, is defined by the World Health Organization as "any act, including removing all or parts of the external area of women’s genitals or other injuries to this organ without medical justification." The female circumcision has a history of over two thousand years. Some historians attribute this to ancient Egypt circa 500 BCE. In regards to circumcision, it has been noted that it may result in loss of sexual urges and preserving chastity, but even with those assumptions the terrible effects cannot be overlooked. Female circumcision is a form of sexual violence recognized by various international organizations such as the United Nations as a harmful act and a violation of women’s rights. Today, at least two hundred million women and girls are affected in 28 African countries and parts of Asia. To counter this evil phenomenon, many African countries have joined international treaties (such as Convention on the Rights of the Child) or regional ones (such as the African Charter of the Rights and Child Welfare); secondly, they have criminalized this exercise and even being an accessory to it. However, traditional customs are a fundamental obstacle to eliminating this wrong behavior in Africa.