The Egyptian Health Ministry has launched a five-year plan aimed to reduce the prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) or female circumcision. “The implementation of the new plan is aimed at bringing about a cultural change supporting rights of children and women, developing information systems and follow-up on programmes for family empowerment and FGM combat,” the ministry said in a statement. According to the ministry’s statement, the nationwide campaign will begin by raising awareness about the fundamental information and facts about FGM, while the second and third phases will focus on the inclusion of communities and official institutions such as Al-Azhar in a general discussion to change the public’s perception of the practice. Despite a large number of men and women surveyed believing that FGM is condoned by Islam, Egypt’s top Islamic authority has condemned the act as “un-Islamic” and “barbaric.” Previous studies have found the phenomenon is not necessarily linked to Islam, with Christian women also having undergone FGM. Egypt banned FGM in 2008. Article 242 of Egypt’s Penal Code criminalizes the circumcision of girls and the punishment for performing FGM is a prison sentence ranging from three months…
ِEgypt Launches Five-Year Plan to Reduce Female Genital Mutilation
December 26, 2015
