Human Rights Of Girls Research Articles

A retrospective analysis of the trends in the prevalence of female genital mutilation and associated factors among women of reproductive age in Nigeria 2011-2021.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is widely acknowledged globally as a violation of the fundamental human rights of girls and women. FGM is still widely practiced in Nigeria but at diminishing rates. Primary care physicians must educate and campaign to end this hazardous practice in Nigeria, especially in high-incidence areas. This study fills the knowledge gap by identifying FGM determinants to help policymakers reduce it. The study employed a retrospective cross-sectional design using data from the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund for 2011, 2016-2017, and 2021. The sampling involved multistage cluster sampling. Data analysis utilized IBM-SPSS, presenting FGM prevalence across years and exploring associations with various factors. This study analyzed 63,365 Nigerian women across a decade (2011, 2016-2017, and 2021). FGM awareness fluctuated (35.1% in 2016-2017, 33.0% in 2011, and 31.9% in 2021), while FGM prevalence increased from 46.6% (2011) to 69.5% (2021). Education correlated with lower FGM prevalence. Geographic disparities were observed, with the Southwest having the highest (70.1%) and the Northeast having the lowest (34.5%) prevalence. Religion influenced FGM rates, with Christians (54.2%) and those with other/no religion (58.0%) showing higher rates than Muslims (52.6%). Urban women had a slightly lower prevalence (52.6%) than rural women (54.2%), and wealth quintiles displayed variations. Variability was also evident among states, ranging from 2.0% to 86.3%. Daughters' circumcision was influenced by maternal circumcision status, education, region, religion, and wealth quintile. Common FGM procedures involved removing genital flesh (63.7%) and nicking without removal (55.1%), often performed by nurses/midwives (63.7%). The study emphasized the urgent need for continuous awareness campaigns and education to combat FGM among Nigerian women. Education emerged as a critical factor in reducing FGM, highlighting the importance of investing in girls' education.

The Practice of Early Marriage of Girls and Its Effects: A Study Conducted in the Nayagarh District of Odisha

Early marriage has many problems for girls in the world in general and in developing countries in particular. It results in the health, and socio-economic aspects of girls; mistreatment, marginalization and denying basic human rights of girls. Early marriage also limits many girls’ mobility, self-esteem, ability to seek profitable employment, and household decision-making power, and increases their vulnerability to violence. Each of these factors has a potent effect on a girls’ ability to access healthcare, compromising not only her health but that of her children, and not being competent in economic and social affairs. This paper aims to examine and investigate the prevalence of early marriage in the study area (Nayagarh District, Odisha); identify the causal factors of early marriage in the study area, and examine its associated problems that its impact on the health and socio-economic condition of girls. In Nayagarh district, children marry early due to different reasons. Among the identified factors some are as a matter of their tribal tradition, fear of premarital sex and pregnancy, parents’ interest in following the consent of relatives, afraid of losing a financially sound bridegroom etc. The low economic status of parents and lack of knowledge are the main causal factors of early marriage in the area. The main consequences of early marriage identified in the study area are girls’ college dropout, marriage instability, early pregnancy, maternal mortality, and increased number of children.

Access to Justice Dynamics for Women and Girls with Disabilities: The Zimbabwean Context

A democratic country has a mandate to guarantee access to justice for all its citizens without discrimination based on disabilities. Therefore, lack of access to justice by persons living with disabilities in Zimbabwe is controversial. The central argument of this article is that the violation of human rights of girls and women with disabilities in Zimbabwe requires urgent intervention from the international community as mandated by local and international conventions. Since Zimbabwe is a signatory to these conventions, it is obligated to enact laws that uphold these rights. The study opted for a mixed method as part of the research methodology. The findings revealed that there are significant barriers to access to justice that still need to be overcome. These hindrances include attitudinal hurdles that make accessing justice difficult for women and girls living with disabilities. The article further acknowledges that access to justice is a fundamental right for persons with disabilities.

Risk of obstetric anal sphincter tear among primiparous women with a history of female genital mutilation, giving birth in Sweden.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes a range of procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia. It is a harmful procedure that violates human rights of girls and women. FGM has been associated with obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI), among other adverse obstetric complications. However, the obstetric outcomes in high-income countries are not clear. The aim of this study was to compare the risk of OASI among primiparous women, with and without a history of FGM, giving birth in Sweden. A population-based cohort-study based on data from the Swedish Medical Birth Register during the period 2014-2018. The study included primiparous women with singleton term pregnancies. We compared the risk, using multivariable logistic regression, of our main outcome OASI between women with a diagnosis of FGM and women without a diagnosis of FGM. Secondary outcomes included episiotomy and instrumental vaginal delivery. A total of 239,486 primiparous women with a term singleton pregnancy were identified. We included 1,444 women with a diagnosis of FGM and 186,294 women without a diagnosis of FGM in our analysis. The overall rate of OASI was 3% in our study population. By using multivariable logistic regression analysis, we found that women with a diagnosis of FGM had a significantly increased odds ratio (OR) of OASI (OR 2.69, 95%CI: 2.14-3.37) compared to women without a diagnosis of FGM. We also found an association between FGM and instrumental delivery as well as the use of episiotomy. Women with a history of FGM have an almost tripled risk of OASI in comparison with women without FGM, when giving birth in a Swedish setting. Increased knowledge and awareness regarding FGM, and its potential health implications is crucial in order to minimise the risk of OASI among women with FGM giving birth in high-income countries. A limitation in our study is the lack of information about the specific types of FGM.

AWARENESS, PREVALENCE AND PRACTICE OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION AMONGST STUDENTS IN A TERTIARY INSTITUTION IN SOUTH-SOUTH NIGERIA

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or another injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It is nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children. It is usually done on young girls between infancy and age 15. Nigeria, due to its large population, has the highest absolute number of female genital mutilation (FGM) worldwide, accounting for about 25% of the estimated 115–130 million circumcised women in the world. <strong>Aim:</strong> To assess the awareness, prevalence and practice of female genital mutilation amongst students in a tertiary institution in South-South Nigeria. <strong>Methods: </strong>This was a cross-sectional descriptive study done amongst female students of the Federal University Otuoke from January to March 2018. A simple random sampling technique by simple balloting was used in the selection of the respondents until the sample size was achieved. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire and were analyzed using SPSS version 22. <strong>Results: </strong>The majority (366 (88.6%)) of the respondents, knows about FGM. Most (350 (95.6%)) also know what FGM really mean. The majority, 292 (72.8%) of the respondents, does not support the practice of FGM. Two hundred and thirty-three (79.5%) of the respondents want the practice to be discontinued. The prevalence of FGM was 36 (9.4%). The ethnic group/tribe of respondents had a statistically significant association with being circumcised and also being aware or knowing about FGM (p > 0.05). The age of respondents was not found to be statistically associated with being circumcised or being aware or knowing about FGM (p < 0.05). <strong>Conclusion: </strong>Awareness and knowledge of FGM in this study were high. The majority of the respondents were not in support of the practice of FGM and want the practice to be discontinued. The prevalence of FGM in this study is lower as compared to many other studies. There is a need for more education to the general public and parents in particular on the health implications of FGM and the need for legislation against the practice.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0969/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Hotspots of female genital mutilation/cutting and associated factors among girls in Ethiopia: a spatial and multilevel analysis

BackgroundFemale genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a harmful traditional practice that violates the human rights of girls and women. It is widely practiced mainly in Africa including Ethiopia. There are a number of studies on the prevalence of FGM/C in Ethiopia. However, little has been devoted to its spatial epidemiology and associated factors. Hence, this study aimed to explore the spatial pattern and factors affecting FGM/C among girls in Ethiopia.MethodsA further analysis of the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey data was conducted, and a total of 6985 girls nested in 603 enumeration areas were included in this analysis. Global Moran’s I statistic was employed to test the spatial autocorrelation, and Getis-Ord Gi* as well as Kulldorff’s spatial scan statistics were used to detect spatial clusters of FGM/C. Multilevel logistic regression models were fitted to identify individual and community level factors affecting FGM/C.ResultsSpatial clustering of FGM/C was observed (Moran’s I = 0.31, p-value < 0.01), and eight significant clusters of FGM/C (hotspots) were detected. The most likely primary SaTScan cluster was detected in the neighborhood areas of Amhara, Afar, Tigray and Oromia regions (LLR = 279.0, p < 0.01), the secondary cluster in Tigray region (LLR = 67.3, p < 0.01), and the third cluster in Somali region (LLR = 55.5, P < 0.01). In the final best fit model, about 83% variation in the odds of FGM/C was attributed to both individual and community level factors. At individual level, older maternal age, higher number of living children, maternal circumcision, perceived beliefs as FGM/C are required by religion, and supporting the continuation of FGM/C practice were factors to increase the odds of FGM/C, whereas, secondary or higher maternal education, better household wealth, and regular media exposure were factors decreasing the odds of FGM/C. Place of residency, Region and Ethnicity were also among the community level factors associated with FGM/C.ConclusionsIn this study, spatial clustering of FGM/C among girls was observed in Ethiopia, and FGM/C hotspots were detected in Afar, Amhara, Tigray, Benishangul Gumuz, Oromia, SNNPR and Somali regions including Dire Dawa Town. Both individual and community level factors play a significant role in the practice of FGM/C. Hence, FGM/C hotspots require priority interventions, and it is also better if the targeted interventions consider both individual and community level factors.

Female genital mutilation/cutting in Sierra Leone: are educated women intending to circumcise their daughters?

BackgroundFemale genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) has been recognized as a gross violation of human rights of girls and women. This is well established in numerous international legal instruments. It forms part of the initiation ceremony that confers womanhood in Sierra Leone. Girls and women who are subjected to this practice are considered to be ready for marriage by their parents and communities and are rewarded with celebrations, gifts, and public recognition. Following this, we examined the relationship between education and women’s FGM/C intention for their daughters in Sierra Leone.MethodsWe used cross-sectional data from the women’s file of the 2013 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey (SLDHS) to explore the influence of education on FGM/C intention among women in the reproductive age (15–49). A sample of 6543 women were included in the study. Our analysis involved descriptive computation of education and FGM/C intention. This was followed by a two-level multilevel analysis. Fixed effect results were reported as Odds Ratios and Adjusted Odds Ratios with their respective credible intervals (CrIs) whilst results of the random effects were presented as variance partition coefficients and median odds ratios.ResultsOur findings showed that women who had no formal education were more likely to intend to circumcise their daughters [aOR = 4.3, CrI = 2.4–8.0]. Among the covariates, women aged 20–24 [aOR = 2.3, CrI = 1.5–3.4] were more likely to intend to circumcise their daughters compared to women between 45 and 49 years old. Poorest women were more likely to report intention of circumcising their daughters in the future compared with the richest [aOR = 2.1, CrI = 1.3–3.2]. We noted that, 63.3% of FGM/C intention in Sierra Leone is attributable to contextual factors.Conclusion FGM/C intention is more common among women with no education, younger women as well as women in the lowest wealth category. We recommend segmented female-child educational and pro-poor policies that target uneducated women in Sierra Leone. The study further suggests that interventions to end FGM/C need to focus on broader contextual and social norms in Sierra Leone.

Resilience in institutionalized adolescents without parental care in the state of Morelos México

Introduction. Resilience has been proposed as a novel research topic in environments with vulnerable populations, since it promotes healthy development in the face of adverse circumstances. In the case of adolescents without parental care, foster care in social institutions has been one of the resources most used by the State to offer protection and guarantee the human rights of girls, boys and adolescents in Mexico, who may or may not present a disability and who lack a father, mother or guardian, for which by means of these institutions they guarantee the healthy development of minors. Objective. Analyze the levels of resilience in institutionalized adolescents without parental care, with and without disabilities. Method. Analytical transversal. The Asylum Anomie and Nominal Resilience Inventory (IAAR) was applied. 29 adolescents (men) with an age range of 12 to 19 years participated, 24 without disabilities (SD) and 5 with disabilities (CD). Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS v.25 program. Results. 17 adolescents (58.6%) presented resilience, 12 (41.3%) did not present resilience according to the IAAR. Conclusions. In our study, more than half of institutionalized adolescents show resilience according to the IAAR.

Ablación genital en las comunidades indígenas de Chocó, Colombia

El presente artículo tiene como finalidad hacer una revisión bibliográfica de diferentes documentos para determinar los derechos se les han vulnerado a las mujeres Emberá Chamí de las comunidades indígenas del Choco, Colombia, con la ablación genital femenina y así mismo indicar si estos derechos están por encima de la protección de la diversidad étnica. Esta técnica consiste en la extirpación total o parcial de los órganos externos de la mujer. La ablación es un rito ancestral considerado normal en las comunidades indígenas. Se practica la mutilación genital por las siguientes razones: La primera se realiza para evitar el crecimiento de clítoris dado que se considera que si no se corta puede llegar a desarrollarse como un órgano copulador masculino y la segunda evita la infidelidad y la promiscuidad. Si no se realiza la ablación a la niña o a la mujer va a ser rechazada por la comunidad. Sin embargo, estas tradiciones atentan contra la figura de la mujer dentro de una sociedad patriarcal en el que la mujer carece de todo tipo de derechos ya que, la mutilación genital femenina ha sido reconocida a nivel internacional como una práctica inhumana y nociva que vulnera los Derechos Humanos de las niñas y de las mujeres.

Providing information to improve body image and care-seeking behavior of women and girls living with female genital mutilation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) has become recognized worldwide as an extreme form of violation of the human rights of girls and women. Strategies have been employed to curb the practice. To conduct a systematic review of randomized and nonrandomized studies of the effects of providing educational interventions on the body image and care-seeking behavior of girls and women living with FGM with the view to ending the practice. CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and other databases were searched up to August 10, 2015 without any language restrictions. Studies that provided education to women and/or girls living with any type of FGM or residing in countries where FGM is predominantly practiced were included. Two authors independently screened and collected data. We summarized dichotomous outcomes using odds ratios and evidence was assessed using the GRADE system (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation). Educational interventions resulted in fewer women recommending FGM for their daughters and also reduced the incidence of FGM cases among daughters of women who received the educational interventions. These findings need to be validated with large randomized trials. 42015024637.

FGM in Switzerland: between legality and loyalty in the transmission of a traditional practice

ABSTRACTExcision and infibulations, otherwise known as ‘female genital mutilation (FGM)’, is recognised internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. The population affected by FGM in Switzerland is young and characterised by a first-generation migratory background. It is estimated around 14,700 women affected by excision or infibulation live in Switzerland. In 2012, a specific law against FGM was approved and the Criminal Code amended to include excision or infibulation as a crime (article 124), testifying to the Swiss government’s strong political commitment to eliminating FGM. Our study looked into this political context and the current public policy agenda with the aim to better understand the specific logic of the intergenerational transmission of FGM. In particular, this article discusses the reasons invoked by women concerning such a transmission, their attitudes about the new generation of daughters and their demands on what it is possible to do, in the present, to recover and to go forward after FGM.

The challenges of girls’ right to education: let’s talk about human rights-based sex education

The United Nations human rights framework offers new ways of conceptualising sex education. Although none of the treaties explicitly refer to sex education, an analysis of the rights contained in the core treaties demonstrates that there is a positive obligation on the state to provide sex education to fulfil the human rights of girls and women. A human rights perspective offers a framework in which to address the challenges to delivery of sex education. It is argued that due to the significance of the human rights that are fulfilled by sex education it is proportionate to limit the role of religious and cultural norms in delivery of sex education.

« Protéger la Prochaine Génération » : promouvoir l'abandon des mutilations génitales féminines dans le district sanitaire de Kayes au Mali

Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. FGM is not just a public health problem, but a violation of the human rights of girls and women. Equilibres &amp; Populations and AMSOPT are developing a pilot project designed to promote abandonment of FGM in the Kayes health district by demonstrating that social change is possible and reproducible. The strategy is based on the organized diffusion of change among communities linked by marital ties. The communication process is based on promotion of health and human rights. The project collaborates with political and social actors so that they can take charge of the ongoing changes. The project also works in France with migrants from villages involved in these interventions because they also have an important role to play. Evaluation of the results showed that 80 of the 250 villages of the district declared abandonment of FGM. A positive debate is emerging in the communities, but messages must be repeated. The response of the health system has been reinforced, as 1328 women received medical care for complications of excision. The project now needs to be further developed in order to achieve its goals. Although the search for funding has been an obstacle, the acquisition of pluriannual funds will provide greater flexibility in management of the project. Beyond abandonment of FSM, the project also wants to reinforce the status and health of women and give them the possibilities to defend their rights.

Female Genital Mutilation: A Violation of the Human Rights of Girls and Women a Call for Concrete Policies and Renewed Actions

Female genital mutilation, also known as ‘female genital cutting’ or ‘female circumcision’, refers to “all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural, religious or other non-therapeutic reasons” [1]. Despite more than 25 years of efforts to curtail the practice of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), it still remains as a deeply rooted tradition in more than 29 countries of Africa and in some countries of Asia and the Middle East [2]. It has been widely practiced among certain immigrant communities in North America and Europe too [1]. It has been estimated that nearly 30 million girls are at the risk every year [2]. The FMG/C is mostly performed for the girls below 15 years of age. The main objective of this editorial is to generate the awareness and understanding on FGM/C as a human right and public health concern and this communication can serve as a base-line for the design and implementation of appropriate policies and programmes, to eliminate this harmful practice in the future and make the world safer for women and girls.

A realist synthesis of controlled studies to determine the effectiveness of interventions to prevent genital cutting of girls

Background:Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a traditional practice which involves the partial or total removal or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Although current trends indicate that the practice is becoming less prevalent, as many as 30 million girls may still be at risk of FGM/C. Given the associated risks and violation of the human rights of girls and women, the practice is discouraged through preventative interventions.Aims:To systematically review the effectiveness of anti-FGM/C interventions, applying a realist perspective.Methods:The realist synthesis approach addressed context-mechanisms-outcomes (CMO) underlying intervention in an attempt to explain interventions’ success or lack thereof. The process involved exposed the usefulness of strategies in different contexts.Results:Eight effectiveness studies and 27 context studies were included. All of the effectiveness studies employed a controlled, before-and-after study design. They formed five broad categories of intervention: training, formal classroom education, media communication, outreach and advocacy, and informal adult education. The CMO configurations showed that the proposed engine behind changing behaviours regarding FGM/C appeared largely to be dissemination of information. Some interventions’ acceptability and success rested on the incorporation of FGM/C abandonment efforts within a larger set of related issues. However, greater success of the interventions could have materialised with systematic pre-planning involving thorough community analyses and securing religious leaders’ commitment to halting FGM/C.Conclusion:The results of this analysis point to conditions that facilitate the success of FGM/C abandonment programmes in different contexts and can be used in future prevention efforts to reduce the risk of girls being subjected to FGM/C.

‘Other Inhumane Acts’: Forced Marriage, Girl Soldiers and the Special Court for Sierra Leone

The decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone gained international notoriety for the widespread use of child soldiers, and the sexual abuse and ‘forced’ marriage of girl soldiers. For the first time in international legal history, ‘forced marriage’ is being prosecuted as a ‘crime against humanity’ in Sierra Leone’s post-conflict ‘Special Court’. This represents an important step in advancing the human rights of girls, and follows a growing trend in international criminal prosecution of gender offences. Notwithstanding the significance of this indictment, international law is no panacea for the deeper inequalities and vulnerabilities that girls experience in peacetime and in wartime. This article advocates a specific focus on girls, who are often ‘disappeared’ under discourses of children and women. Moreover, using recommendations from Sierra Leone’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, this article attempts to point to social and economic inequalities that must be addressed alongside criminal prosecution of gendered crimes against humanity.

History of the FIGO Committee for Women's Sexual and Reproductive Rights

The Executive Board of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) approved the establishment of a FIGO Study Group on Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Rights at its meeting in Cape Town on October 16, 1998. The timing was significant, since the year 1998 marked the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The year 1999 would mark the 20th Anniversary of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Furthermore, the 1990 UN International Convention on the Rights of the Child confirmed that the human rights of girls and women are an invaluable and indivisible part of human rights, to be respected and promoted not only in the public sphere but also in the private sphere of the home and family. A number of UN conferences on human rights are relevant to this initiative, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1979; the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989; the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo in 1994; and the ICPDq5, Beijingq5. The Study Group was constituted under the umbrella of the WHOyFIGO Alliance for Women’s Health (The Alliance includes FIGO, WHO, ICM, IPPF, UNFPA, UNICEF, and World Bank).

Women's health. The issue of unspoken abuse.

The UK banned female genital mutilation in 1985 with the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act but there were reports in 1993 that doctors were conducting the procedure and that procedure was being performed abroad. The Children Act 1989 section 47(1) designates investigation and protection of children at risk. Since thousands of British women may have been affected by genital mutilation (FGM) it is important that nurses be aware and understand the issues and not fear that their concern will be considered racist. Prevention requires sensitivity of communication and the Royal College of Nursing document is helpful in directing management of cases. The practice has been commonly accepted in African societies for hundreds of years until recently. African womens groups such as FORWARD the National Alliance for Women of African Descent and Akina Mama wa Africa have considered the practice as an abuse of health and human rights of girls and women. The practice was used in the UK until recently to control the sexuality of mentally ill women and to remedy masturbation activity. Continued practice of FGM is related to its lost believed significance as a requirement for Muslim religion even though it is not specifically mentioned in the Koran. There is maternal concern that daughters might not be acceptable mates for husbands without the operation. The African Charter on the Rights of Welfare of the Child states that harmful traditional social and cultural practices affecting children must be halted by governments. The Charter was adopted by the Organization of African Unity in 1990. The damage from FGM has been reported by the World Health Organization as increased risk (twice the risk) of maternal death in childbirth and increased risk (3-4 times the risk) of neonatal mortality. In Somalia the estimate for maternal death is 1 out of 100 among women who have been mutilated which includes to 80-90% of all Somali women. Other deleterious side effects are difficulties with menstruation and menopause trauma during sexual penetration and urinary tract infections. Psychological effects include unbearable pain and terror humiliation and feeling betrayed by mothers. Mutilation can be excision either with or without removal of the labia minora (85% of cases) or infibulation or cutting of the labia majora to form a hood over the urethra and the vagina and leaving a matchstick size opening for urine and menstrual blood passage.