Prevalence and Belief in the Continuation of Female Genital Cutting among High School Girls, in Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia, 2011
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Date
2011-05
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Addis Abeba university
Abstract
Background: Female Genital Cutting (FGC) is a cultural practice affecting 100-140
million girls and women across the world and putting 3 million females at risk every year
in Africa. Although the trend is slowly decreasing in Ethiopia the magnitude is still very
high as the procedure has no any known benefit but has many consequences.
Objective: To assess the prevalence and beliefs in the continuation of FGC among high
school girls in Hadiya zone of southern Ethiopia.
Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative survey with complementary qualitative method
was carried out among high school girls in Hadiya zone from January 2011 to February
2011. There were a total of 10587 female students within 12 governmental high schools in
the zone, 797 were systematically selected from four high schools to participate in
completing a self-administered questionnaire for this study. There was a response rate of
97.8%. Three focus group discussions with community and in-depth interviews with
circumcisers were conducted using a semi-structured guide.
Results: Six hundred forty one (82.2%) of the girls were circumcised at a mean age of 9
years. Half of the total participants responded that FGC was being practiced in their
village. A majority 675(86.7%) had stated that FGC is harmful, while 606(77.7%) thought
that a girl has the right not to be circumcised. More than half, 384(59.9%) of the cutting
was performed by traditional circumcisers while 186(30%) of the cutting was performed
by health professionals. Group circumcision is common in the area, 429(67%) were
circumcised in groups and majority 528(82.5) of the cutting was in their own homes. Few
of the circumcised girls, 60(9.4%) supported their status as a circumcised girl and only 5 %
believe in the continuation of FGC.
Conclusion: While there is an urgent need to stop the practice of FGC in Hadiya zone,
cultural, beliefs related to maintain the hygiene of the genitalia and social factors are
sustaining the practice. Therefore, there should be collaborative efforts from Governmental
and non-Governmental organizations to support and bring change within the entire
community
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Keywords
Female Genital Cutting