SOCIO-CULTURAL BENEFITS AND CONSEQUENCES OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION IN RURAL COMMUNITIES OF EBONYI AND ENUGU STATES, NIGERIA

Abstract

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a traditional procedure of removing the whole or part of the female genitalia for non-medical reasons, but for cultural and social reasons usually without the consent of the individual. It has been found by World Health Organization to be harmful to the health of women, and is internationally recognized as illegal. This paper discusses about the types and rationales of the practice of FGM and attempts to identify social benefits, cultural benefits, economic benefits of FGM and its consequences. The paper examines the tension between the Radical Feminist and Cultural Relativist approaches in regard to the practice of FGM. Radical Feminist is against the practice of FGM as a harmful cultural practice that violates human rights of women. Whereas Cultural Relativists are supporting for the continuity of the practice as there is no culture which can evaluate other cultural practices as moral, ethical and valid or not, and as it is performed for the sake of preparing the girls for marriage and adulthood. This paper is significant in that it gives an insight into the socio-cultural justification and hence perpetuation of FGM.