Thursday, June 28, 2007
Try as I might, I can't see how this could be BAD news.
In fact, hooray for Egypt.
Courtesy the fine folks at Yahoo News:
CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt on Thursday finally banned all female circumcision, the widely-practised removal of the clitoris which just days ago cost the life of a 12-year-old girl.
Officially the practice, which affects both Muslim and Christian women in Egypt and goes back to the time of the pharoahs, was banned in 1997 but doctors were allowed to operate "in exceptional cases".
On Thursday, Health Minister Hatem al-Gabali decided to ban every doctor and member of the medical profession, in public or private establishments, from carrying out a clitoridectomy, a ministry press official told AFP.
Any circumcision "will be viewed as a violation of the law and all contraventions will be punished," said the official, adding that it was a "permanent ban".
A survey in 2000 said the practice was carried out on 97 percent of the country's women.
In the latest fatality, 12-year-old Bedur Ahmed Shaker was taken by her mother to a private clinic in Minya, a town on the Nile south of Cairo, for the operation. She died before she could be transferred to hospital.
Her mother accused the woman doctor of negligence, charging that her daughter's death was linked to the anaesthetic and not the removal of the clitoris, for which she had paid 50 pounds (nearly nine dollars). Police have arrested both women.
I wonder how this will be enforced, and what punishment will be used.
I am also moved to wonder if similar laws will be enacted to prevent male circumcision. (just curious, not trying to start shit. just curious.)
In fact, hooray for Egypt.
Courtesy the fine folks at Yahoo News:
CAIRO (AFP) - Egypt on Thursday finally banned all female circumcision, the widely-practised removal of the clitoris which just days ago cost the life of a 12-year-old girl.
Officially the practice, which affects both Muslim and Christian women in Egypt and goes back to the time of the pharoahs, was banned in 1997 but doctors were allowed to operate "in exceptional cases".
On Thursday, Health Minister Hatem al-Gabali decided to ban every doctor and member of the medical profession, in public or private establishments, from carrying out a clitoridectomy, a ministry press official told AFP.
Any circumcision "will be viewed as a violation of the law and all contraventions will be punished," said the official, adding that it was a "permanent ban".
A survey in 2000 said the practice was carried out on 97 percent of the country's women.
In the latest fatality, 12-year-old Bedur Ahmed Shaker was taken by her mother to a private clinic in Minya, a town on the Nile south of Cairo, for the operation. She died before she could be transferred to hospital.
Her mother accused the woman doctor of negligence, charging that her daughter's death was linked to the anaesthetic and not the removal of the clitoris, for which she had paid 50 pounds (nearly nine dollars). Police have arrested both women.
I wonder how this will be enforced, and what punishment will be used.
I am also moved to wonder if similar laws will be enacted to prevent male circumcision. (just curious, not trying to start shit. just curious.)
# posted by antiprincess @ 9:35 AM 
Comments:
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most political resistance in egypt is linked to being a part of "true islam" over and against the perception of the secular government.
see the Muslim Brotherhood as being the big opposition party.
as long as the dictatorship stands, this ban will. but fgm will go underground, and be further identified with liberatory islam that resists tyranny.
yeah, i can see the lead balloon in every silver cloud.
see the Muslim Brotherhood as being the big opposition party.
as long as the dictatorship stands, this ban will. but fgm will go underground, and be further identified with liberatory islam that resists tyranny.
yeah, i can see the lead balloon in every silver cloud.
What defines an "exceptional case"? I can't imagine anything that would require such a procedure.
It is a good day, indeed, let's hope the people follow the lead. Cultural practices are hard to change.
It is a good day, indeed, let's hope the people follow the lead. Cultural practices are hard to change.
I wonder under the new law...would the parents who have this done to their daughters(now after the law is in place)be subject to some kind of punishment?
This is magnificent news. It's true that the practice will likely continue for a time but, because of this law, anyone who does it can be sued and/or thrown in jail.
has anyone been following the discussion about this at Alas?
really interesting perspective - the ban won't help, in fact will hurt, by driving the practice further underground.
any thoughts?
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really interesting perspective - the ban won't help, in fact will hurt, by driving the practice further underground.
any thoughts?
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