This article, tucked away in the Africa section of the World CNN website, appeared after the United States Attorney General stepped in on an immigration case. A twenty-eight-year-old Mali woman had been subjected to genital mutilation, a common practice among her tribe and others across Africa and Asia, but had been granted asylum in the United States. However, the woman had undergone surgery to repair the damage and U.S. immigration was ready to send her back to her native country on the basis that since she had already been abused in that manner it would not happen again.
Attorney General Mukasey argued in her favor saying there is no reason this horrendous act would not be committed against her again and in fact their have been cases of women suffering genital mutilation more than once in their life. The Mali woman says she still lives in fear for her own life and well being and that of any child she may have if she were to go back.
This case can raise a lot of human rights issues, as well as many women's rights issues. Women are being physically abused and very often die from a social practice with no concrete benefits. Hundreds of millions of women, young girls, and even newborn babies are subjected to this barbaric practice every year. Cases of genital mutilation are not uncommon in African and other Arab countries, but does that make it acceptable? I understand looking at these issues with a cultural reletivity perspective rather than comparing it to my own culture is important but just because a tradition has existed for so long does it mean that it should be ignored? Many organizations, including WHO, UNICEF, and even the United Nations have started to give more attention to the issue, but what is really being done for women's rights in developing nations?
Check it out:
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/09/22/genital.mutiliation.immigrant/index.html
~ Sarah Mosberg
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5 comments:
I took a sociology class last year in which Female Genital Cutting was a topic of learning and discussion. Had I not taken that class, I would certainly not realize the severity of such a topic.
It amazes me first of all how someone can be so inhumane to another living being...but in many cultures it is part of their way of living to practice this type of mutilation. Many practices say that a female is more appealing after the cutting and closing of the female genitalia, and intercourse is more pleasurable to the husband.
Only my opinion, but I can't truly imagine any woman partakes in such a "ritual" with complete willingness. I can understand having fear that if it has happened once, it could happen again.
Another question to ask...do we really have a right to impose on the "cultural practices" that happen in other countries? Do we then leave ourselves open for a tirade of complaints from others about practices within the U.S.?
I am always horrified by any story I read about genital mutilation. Also, I am not the type of person who wants a culture to change their practices or beflifs, but this is cruel and unusual by Amerincans' standards. Obviously this problem is not being ignnored because just within this last decade more and more news stories shed light on genital mutilation. At the same time, there doesn't seem to be much being done to promote women's rights in these countries. It should the these African and Asian countries' governments stepping in and banning genital mutilation, not just WHO, UNICEF, and the UN trying to help. Clearly, laws needs to be established and enforced to finally put an end to genital mutilation.
Genital mutilation is inhumane, barbaric and cruel. However, as mentioned before, do we have the right to question another culture's beliefs/practices? I don't feel that we do, no matter how wrong we feel it is (and I do think it is wrong). I believe the key to getting rid of this practice lies within the countries and tribes themselves. An outside source can't change years and years of tradition, it must come from within. It is because of that belief that I think a man must decide that the practice is inhumane and HE must make the first attempt at ending this practice because clearly women aren't given the choice or voice to say no. A man must speak up for the women.
Genital mutilation is cruel and horrifying. I agree with Aurora, we can't question other culture's beliefs and traditions, even though it may be wrong. I agree that getting rid of this practice/tradition lies inside of these countries. When a tradition has been taking place for a long time, its hard to change something that has been a part of their culture for years. Since women don't really have a say in this practice, men of the higher authority and government need to take action.
This is a very important article because a large amount of the population does not realize what a horrible problem this really is. Genital mutilation is a horrific practice and should be outlawed immediately. The fact that this still goes on today is disgusting and completely, morally wrong.
While I dont believe we have to right to judge other cultures, I simply cannot agree that this situation is right in any circumstance.
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