Abstract
Many cultures, in Nigeria today, are emerging from very traditional arcane cultural practices and are embracing more egalitarian and emancipatory values, especially for women. One of the cultural practices that have come under intense scrutiny in the treatment of women and the girl-child is the practice of Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C). It is one of the widely and deep-rooted cultural practices in Nigeria, especially in Ebonyi State. The aim of this paper is to examine the morality of female genital mutilation and its effect on the stability of marriages in Ebonyi state. The questions become, what is female genital mutilation? Is the practice morally justified and acceptable? Does it abuse the fundamental right of the woman? How does it affect the stability of marriages? These questions and many of its kinds surround the cultural practices of Female Genital Mutilation. This work is a contribution to the body of qualitative research, which explores the morality and effect of female genital mutilation on the stability of marriages, in Ebonyi state. The researchers contend that female genital mutilation (FGM) has a negative impact on the sexual life for women and therefore impacts negatively on their marriage. Using the moral prism and spectacles of virtue ethics and human right theories to examine the cultural practice of FGM, it therefore concludes that it should be discouraged because it violates women’s rights to life, physical integrity, good health and social flourishing.
Highlights
One of the cultural practices that have come under intense scrutiny in the treatment of women and the girl-child is the practice of Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C)
The aim of this paper is to examine the morality of female genital mutilation and its effect on the stability of marriages in Ebonyi state
The questions become, what is female genital mutilation? Is the practice morally justified and acceptable? Does it abuse the fundamental right of the woman? How does it affect the stability of marriages? These questions and many of its kinds surround the cultural practices of Female Genital Mutilation
Summary
It is defined as “all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or the female genital organs whether for cultural or other non-therapeutic reasons.”. The WHO (World Health Organization, 1999) classifies FGM/C into four major types: Type I (Clitoridectomy) is partial or total removal of the clitoris (the small, sensitive, erectile part of the female genitals) and, in very rare cases, only the prepuce, i.e. the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris. Type III (Infibulation), the most severe form of FGM, narrows the vaginal opening through a covering seal formed by cutting and repositioning the inner or outer labia, with or without removal of the clitoris. Type IV includes all other harmful procedures to female genitalia for non-medical purposes, including pricking, piercing or incising the clitoris or labia; stretching the clitoris or labia; cauterization by burning the clitoris and surrounding tissue; scraping tissue surrounding the vaginal orifice or cutting the vagina; introducing corrosive substances or herbs into the vagina, to cause bleeding for tightening or narrowing it
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