Female Genital Mutilation Female Genital

Female Genital Mutilation

Female Genital Mutiliation

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is practiced widely throughout the Middle East and Asia, with 2 million women and girls undergoing this barbaric custom every year. In Africa, 90% of women bear the painful scars of this custom, yet continue to support its practice, with the support of their religion and the male population, who look upon it as a way to tell if a woman is a virgin upon marriage. Although some countries have banned it, secret societies, such as Bondo, continue to practice it, and since its effects are not prominent, there is little political motivation to make it illegal or support a program leading to its eradication. The subject remains feared and taboo. In some countries, such as Sierra Leone, women cannot marry unless they undergo FGM and politicians refuse to criticize it. Since there exists a large number of women who make the practice of "circumcision" an occupation, it becomes a problem when attempts are made to wipe it out, since such a large numbers of practitioners hold an economic stake and yield political power in their country.

Out of a total of 271 NGO's in Sierra Leone, only 2 are working directly against FGM as part of their program. The Inter-African Committee Against Harmful Traditional Practices, headed by Linda Osarenren, suggests that the government create ways to compensate monetarily for the loss of clients, if the practice is made illegal. Other individuals work to dissuade practitioners from practicing this dangerous amateur surgery. Rugiatu Turay, of the Amazonian Initiative Movement says she has convinced 400 traditional practitioners from 111 villages to stop the harmful surgery. In the educational film describing these NGO programs, Razor's Edge, the screams of small girls continue to haunt the memory evoking desire to protect them against such barbaric mistreatment (IRIN, Razor's Edge).

Nurses are often the cultural broker in a climate where catalysts for change are needed. Nurses in affected countries may negotiate two or more cultures daily, serving as intermediaries at the most basic level, "communicating differences and similarities between cultures" (National, 2009).

The International Council of Nurses' (ICN) Code of Ethics Preamble says nurses must respect human rights, including cultural rights. Included under these cultural rights, according to some, are the right to practice FGM; however, the Code also claims that nurses' four fundamental responsibilities are to promote health, prevent illness, restore health and alleviate suffering. In each of these responsibilities the responsibility to eliminate FGM lies inherent. But the responsibilities of nurses conflict with those who claim that cultural traditions, such as FGM, should be maintained in countries where it is part of the religion and the culture, and has been practiced for 4000 years. Still, if one is to employ the ICN Code of Ethics, nurses may collaborate with others to apply "ethical standards in nursing practice, education, management and research." Within this mandate ethical standards would preclude mutilation of any part of the body for any reason, especially under unsanitary conditions by untrained practitioners. (ICN, pp 1-4).

The American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics, Provision 2, states that the nurse's primary commitment is to the patient. Although in addressing the interests of the patient, the nurse must recognize the patient's place in the family or community relationships, in Provision 2.2, the Code identifies types of conflicts of interest for nurses. In such a situation as may exist between a patient, such as a young woman facing FGM, and her family and community, the nurse must examine his or her own personal and professional values, the values and interests of others also responsible for the patient, and those of other patients. The final resolution must "ensure patient safety, guard the patient's best interests and preserve the professional integrity of the nurse (ANA, p. 1).