Report: Female Genital Cutting Changing Over Time

FGC is nearly universal in
just a few countries like Egypt and Guinea . Younger women are less likely to be cut than
older women in 9 of 16 countries studied, including Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria,
and the Ivory Coast.
A press conference and tele-press conference will be held on Wednesday,
June 29th in Amman, Jordan, to release a full report on Iraqi women's
recommendations for the Constitution.

WHO: Zainab Salbi and Manal Omar, Women for Women International

WHEN: Wednesday, June 29, 9:30am EDT (4:30pm local time)

WHERE: InterContinental Hotel
Amman, Jordan

CALL-IN: RSVP to kkulin@fenton.

africa society

New DHS Report Examines Female Genital Cutting in 16 Countries

CALVERTON, Md., Female genital cutting is on the
decline in some areas, and practices are changing , according to a new report. Approval
of FGC is decreasing in Egypt and other areas, suggesting that even in high-
prevalence countries, individual perceptions are changing." In some countries, like Egypt,
FGC is an ancient practice, predating Islam; in some parts of West Africa, on
the other hand, the practice of FGC began in the 19th and 20th centuries.

WHAT: Report on conference of Iraqi women organizing to protect
women's rights in new constitution.

people society

"FGC is practiced in only about 25 countries in Africa and in some
immigrant populations in Europe and North America. Stan Yoder, author
of the report, "Female Genital Cutting in the Demographic and Health Surveys:
A Critical and Comparative Analysis," published by the MEASURE DHS project
Comparisons of national surveys in several countries show marked changes
in FGC practices over time .
At the same time, the report documents an increasing trend toward the
"medicalization" of FGC, as more girls are cut by medical professionals rather
than by traditional practitioners.
"FGC varies enormously in the time and the way it is performed," says Dr.
Yoder.
The conference is organized by Women for Women International, one of the
few international non-governmental organizations focusing on women's rights in
Iraq.

africa women

In many countries, girls are being
cut at younger ages, even as the overall proportion of girls who are
circumcised decreases., an Opinion
Research Corporation company (ORC Macro).

CONTACT: Dr.
Participants are expected to work in small groups and make recommendations for
the constitution in afternoon meetings today.
Topics on the agenda include strategies: to promote women's rights as a
critical national priority, to secure women's rights in secular and Islamic or
"shari'a" frameworks, and to effectively mobilize grassroots and men's support
for women's rights.

History of women in Africa.

egypt women

There have been fewer changes, however , in the countries
with the highest prevalence of FGC such as Egypt, Guinea, and Mali. The DHS first added questions on FGC
in 1989. Stan Yoder
(301) 572-0840

Women for Women International works with women in conflict and
post-conflict areas to expand women's economic , political and social
participation in the reconstruction of their countries.
Conference participants from Iraq will be joined by international experts
from Afghanistan, Morocco, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Africa who will share
their expertise in crafting constitutions that incorporate women's rights .com for teleconference number and
passcode.

ancient africa

The same trend is visible in Mail and Guinea, both
countries with very high FGC prevalence. MEASURE DHS is implemented by Macro International Inc. Those recommendations will be
listed on Wednesday at the press conference.

people ancient

Also known as female circumcision and female genital mutilation, female
genital cutting (FGC) varies among ethnic groups and has been widely
misunderstood, says the report. In other African countries, FGC
prevalence varies from 5 to 75 percent of women," says Dr. This trend is notable in Egypt where just
over 61 percent of girls were cut by a medical professional in 2000 compared
to 54 percent in 1995. "Practices range from a symbolic tiny cut on the clitoris to the
partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia and partial
closure of the vaginal area (infibulation).
Long considered the "gold standard" survey for measuring variables related
to population, nutrition, and health issues , MEASURE DHS helps developing
countries collect demographic and health survey (DHS) data by conducting
individual interviews in peoples' homes.
MEASURE DHS has helped conduct over 200 surveys in more than 70 countries
worldwide.

Iraqi Women Hold Ground-Breaking Conference To Make Women's Rights A National Priority

Recommendations to be Released at Tele-press Conference on June 29th

AMMAN, Jordan, A historic meeting is being held
now in Jordan bringing together Iraqi Transitional National Assembly members,
including members of the Constitutional Drafting Committee, ministers , and
civil society leaders to build strategies to protect women's rights in the new
Iraq Constitution . This will be the sole access for
journalists to the conference for security reasons.