Thank you, Alexander! I shall spread the word and let them have at it here, where it more properly belongs. If you have not posted this link in Geo 12, I shall do so immediately.

from the old server Response 2 of 2: Marcia (MarciaH) * Wed, Jan 26, 2000 (19:34) * 161 lines This article was forwarded to me by Maggie. I thought it important enough to create a Topic for it if necessary. Then I found this one which speaks indirectly to the root of the problem. Please read this and comment. The National Capital Chapter of the US National Committee for UNIFEM is supporting UNIFEM's promotion of Women's Human Rights through the Mali project '98 to Eradicate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Approximately 94 percent of women aged 15 to 49 in Mali have undergone FGM. Fear that their daughters will remain unmarried is paramount among justifications for the continuation of this practice, despite the fact that excision sometimes leads to serious injury and infection of the vagina, rectum, bladder, and urethra leading to lifelong disabilities, and in some cases death from bleeding during childbirth. Background Despite the increasing recognition of the critical role played by women in the economic development of developing countries, the practice of Female Genital Mutilation--the removal of some of a girl's genitalia -- continues to be practiced widely in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The consequences of the practice are grave for the girls affected. Female genital mutilation often causes injury and infection which lead to lifelong disabilities. It can cause painful urination, tetanus, death from bleeding, and difficulties in childbirth which ultimately endanger the lives of both the child and the mother. FGM is most often done by women, who carry on the practice for a variety of social, religious, traditional, economic and esthetic reasons. FGM is part of a rite of passage into womanhood at which the initiate is taught the roles expected of a wife, lover and mother. In some societies a woman who has not undergone the rite is considered unprepared for marriage. Religion is used to justify the practice of FGM in certain Islamic countries which portray FGM as an obligation for Muslim purification. There are global movements to eradicate the practice of FGM in Africa. However, FGM is a complex issue rooted in long-standing cultural values. Organizations that are working to eliminate the practice must also search for and develop appropriate alternative strategies that will eliminate the harmful and dangerous aspects while respecting cultural norms and values. An alternative practice should take into account the ability of the female population involved to make informed decisions. This will result in systemic change and empower women by showing them viable alternatives to gender-specific roles and values. FGM violates two important UN conventions on human rights: the practice is an infraction of the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW); it also violates the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. What is being done in Mali There are locally led movements committed to totally eradicating FGM through education of its harmful effects. In June 1997 two events occurred towards this goal: 1. In a moving public ceremony, women practitioners of excision from the Mopti region banded together and voluntarily handed over their excision knives. 2. The Mali government committed to the total eradication of FGM. These two events are of the utmost importance. When abandoning the practice of excision the women of the Mopti region gave up their main livelihood in anticipation of a promised alternative. This powerfully demonstrates their dedication to the total eradication of FGM. These women are now traveling in Mali to educate their sisters about the dangers of continuing this practice. Also, the government's resolve to end the practice gives legitimacy to all current efforts and requests for assistance. The Women of Mali need your support! Mali Project '98, with your support, will have an immense positive impact on the lives of girls and women in Mali. The support of the world's women is needed to build the momentum necessary to end female genital mutilation. Mali is our first step. Your support of this project will directly assist the Association for the Progress and the Defense of the Rights of Malian Women (APDF), a local, non-partisan, non-governmental organization (NGO), to implement an intensive educational campaign in cooperation with the former excision practitioners. Your contributions are earmarked for this project and are tax-deductible. What your contribution can provide: $100 1. Training of one former excisioner: to become a strong advocate for the eradication of FGM; in alternative income generating skills. 2. Training of one opinion leader: to become a strong advocate for the eradication of FGM. 3. The dissemination of 200 brochures or 240 cassettes in local languages: to educate the general public about the dangers of FGM. 4. Grand Prize for creative "anti-FGM" slogan and artwork in competition for high school students: to be used in a nationwide information campaign $50 1. The dissemination of 100 brochures or 120 cassettes in local languages: to educate the general public about the dangers of FGM. 2. One First Place Prize for creative "anti-FGM" slogan or artwork competition in high schools: to be used in a nationwide information campaign. $30 1. The dissemination of 60 brochures or 75 cassettes in local languages: to educate the general public about the dangers of FGM. Video clip An eight-minute video clip from "Rights of Passage" sensitively and powerfully depicts FGM in Burkina Faso, West Africa. The video can be ordered for US$10, which will cover the cost of mailing and dubbing. To order the video clip: Please make checks payable to: National Capital Chapter, US Committee, UNIFEM Send orders to: Sheryl J. Swed President National Capital Chapter US National Committee for UNIFEM 4422 Washington Blvd. Arlington, Virginia 22201 To make a donation to to the Mali Project: Please make checks payable to: National Capital Chapter, US Committee, UNIFEM Send to: Nancy B. Leidenfrost Treasurer National Capital Chapter US National Committee for UNIFEM 235 South River Clubhouse Road Hardwood, MD 20776 Footnotes 1. Source: Population Briefs Volume 3, Number 2, Spring, 1997. United Nations Development Fund for Women 304 East 45th Street, 6th floor New York, NY 10017 Tel: 212/906-6400 Fax: 212/906-6705 Website: http://www.unifem.undp.org Gopher: gopher://gopher.undp.org/1/unifem e-mail: unifem@undp.org Comments and suggestions: webmaster.unifem@undp.org Response 3 of 3: Marcia (MarciaH) * Thu, Jan 27, 2000 (14:57) * 453 lines There is a lot on the net about this issue. This is from an Amnesty International site http://www.amnesty.org/ailib/intcam/femgen/fgml.htm WHAT IS FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION? The different types of mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM) is the term used to refer to the removal of part, or all, of the female genitalia. The most severe form is infibulation, also known as pharaonic circumcision. An estimated 15% of all mutilations in Africa are infibulations. The procedure consists of clitoridectomy (where all, or part of, the clitoris is removed), excision (removal of all, or part of, the labia minora), and cutting of the labia majora to create raw surfaces, which are then stitched or held together in order to form a cover over the vagina when they heal. A small hole is left to allow urine and menstrual blood to escape. In some less conventional forms of infibulation, less tissue is removed and a larger opening is left. The vast majority (85%) of genital mutilations performed in Africa consist of clitoridectomy or excision. The least radical procedure consists of the removal of the clitoral hood. In some traditions a ceremony is held, but no mutilation of the genitals occurs. The ritual may include holding a knife next to the genitals, pricking the clitoris, cutting some pubic hair, or light scarification in the genital or upper thigh area. The procedures followed The type of mutilation practised, the age at which it is carried out, and the way in which it is done varies according to a variety of factors, including the woman or girl's ethnic group, what country they are living in, whether in a rural or urban area and their socio-economic provenance. The procedure is carried out at a variety of ages, ranging from shortly after birth to some time during the first pregnancy, but most commonly occurs between the ages of four and eight. According to the World Health Organization, the average age is falling. This indicates that the practice is decreasingly associated with initiation into adulthood, and this is believed to be particularly the case in urban areas. Some girls undergo genital mutilation alone, but mutilation is more often undergone as a group of, for example, sisters, other close female relatives or neighbours. Where FGM is carried out as part of an initiation ceremony, as is the case in societies in eastern, central and western Africa, it is more likely to be carried out on all the girls in the community who belong to a particular age group. The procedure may be carried out in the girl's home, or the home of a relative or neighbour, in a health centre, or, especially if associated with initiation, at a specially designated site, such as a particular tree or river. The person performing the mutilation may be an older woman, a traditional midwife or healer, a barber, or a qualified midwife or doctor. Girls undergoing the procedure have varying degrees of knowledge about what will happen to them. Sometimes the event is associated with festivities and gifts. Girls are exhorted to be brave. Where the mutilation is part of an initiation rite, the festivities may be major events for the community. Usually only women are allowed to be present. Sometimes a trained midwife will be available to give a local anaesthetic. In some cultures, girls will be told to sit beforehand in cold water, to numb the area and reduce the likelihood of bleeding. More commonly, however, no steps are taken to reduce the pain. The girl is immobilized, held, usually by older women, with her legs open. Mutilation may be carried out using broken glass, a tin lid, scissors, a razor blade or some other cutting instrument. When infibulation takes place, thorns or stitches may be used to hold the two sides of the labia majora together, and the legs may be bound together for up to 40 days. Antiseptic powder may be applied, or, more usually, pastes - containing herbs, milk, eggs, ashes or dung - which are believed to facilitate healing. The girl may be taken to a specially designated place to recover where, if the mutilation has been carried out as part of an initiation ceremony, traditional teaching is imparted. For the very rich, the mutilation procedure may be performed by a qualified doctor in hospital under local or general anaesthetic. Geographical distribution of female genital mutilation An estimated 135 million of the world's girls and women have undergone genital mutilation, and two million girls a year are at risk of mutilation - approximately 6,000 per day. It is practised extensively in Africa and is common in some countries in the Middle East. It also occurs, mainly among immigrant communities, in parts of Asia and the Pacific, North and Latin America and Europe. FGM is reportedly practised in more than 28 African countries (see FGM in Africa: Information by Country (ACT 77/07/97)). There are no figures to indicate how common FGM is in Asia. It has been reported among Muslim populations in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Malaysia, although very little is known about the practice in these countries. In India, a small Muslim sect, the Daudi Bohra, practise clitoridectomy. In the Middle East, FGM is practised in Egypt, Oman, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates. There have been reports of FGM among certain indigenous groups in central and south America, but little information is available. In industrialized countries, genital mutilation occurs predominantly among immigrants from countries where mutilation is practised. It has been reported in Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK and USA. Girls or girl infants living in industrialized countries are sometimes operated on illegally by doctors from their own community who are resident there. More frequently, traditional practitioners are brought into the country or girls are sent abroad to be mutilated. No figures are available on how common the practise is among the populations of industrialized countries. The physical and psychological effects of female genital mutilation Physical effects The effects of genital mutilation can lead to death. At the time the mutilation is carried out, pain, shock, haemorrhage and damage to the organs surrounding the clitoris and labia can occur. Afterwards urine may be retained and serious infection develop. Use of the same instrument on several girls without sterilization can cause the spread of HIV. More commonly, the chronic infections, intermittent bleeding, abscesses and small benign tumours of the nerve which can result from clitoridectomy and excision cause discomfort and extreme pain. Infibulation can have even more serious long-term effects: chronic urinary tract infections, stones in the bladder and urethra, kidney damage, reproductive tract infections resulting from obstructed menstrual flow, pelvic infections, infertility, excessive scar tissue, keloids (raised, irregularly shaped, progressively enlarging scars) and dermoid cysts. First sexual intercourse can only take place after gradual and painful dilation of the opening left after mutilation. In some cases, cutting is necessary before intercourse can take place. In one study carried out in Sudan, 15% of women interviewed reported that cutting was necessary before penetration could be achieved.1 Some new wives are seriously damaged by unskilful cutting carried out by their husbands. A possible additional problem resulting from all types of female genital mutilation is that lasting damage to the genital area can increase the risk of HIV transmission during intercourse. During childbirth, existing scar tissue on excised women may tear. Infibulated women, whose genitals have been tightly closed, have to be cut to allow the baby to emerge. If no attendant is present to do this, perineal tears or obstructed labour can occur. After giving birth, women are often reinfibulated to make them "tight" for their husbands. The constant cutting and restitching of a women's genitals with each birth can result in tough scar tissue in the genital area. The secrecy surrounding FGM, and the protection of those who carry it out, make collecting data about complications resulting from mutilation difficult. When problems do occur these are rarely attributed to the person who performed the mutilation. They are more likely to be blamed on the girl's alleged "promiscuity" or the fact that sacrifices or rituals were not carried out properly by the parents. Most information is collected retrospectively, often a long time after the event. This means that one has to rely on the accuracy of the woman's memory, her own assessment of the severity of any resulting complications, and her perception of whether any health problems were associated with mutilation. Some data on the short and long-term medical effects of FGM, including those associated with pregnancy, have been collected in hospital or clinic-based studies, and this has been useful in acquiring a knowledge of the range of health problems that can result. However, the incidence of these problems, and of deaths as a result of mutilation, cannot be reliably estimated. Supporters of the practice claim that major complications and problems are rare, while opponents of the practice claim that they are frequent. Effects on sexuality Genital mutilation can make first intercourse an ordeal for women. It can be extremely painful, and even dangerous, if the woman has to be cut open; for some women, intercourse remains painful. Even where this is not the case, the importance of the clitoris in experiencing sexual pleasure and orgasm suggests that mutilation involving partial or complete clitoridectomy would adversely affect sexual fulfilment. Clinical considerations and the majority of studies on women's enjoyment of sex suggest that genital mutilation does impair a women's enjoyment. However, one study found that 90% of the infibulated women interviewed reported experiencing orgasm.2 The mechanisms involved in sexual enjoyment and orgasm are still not fully understood, but it is thought that compensatory processes, some of them psychological, may mitigate some of the effects of removal of the clitoris and other sensitive parts of the genitals. Psychological effects The psychological effects of FGM are more difficult to investigate scientifically than the physical ones. A small number of clinical cases of psychological illness related to genital mutilation have been reported.3 Despite the lack of scientific evidence, personal accounts of mutilation reveal feelings of anxiety, terror, humiliation and betrayal, all of which would be likely to have long-term negative effects. Some experts suggest that the shock and trauma of the operation may contribute to the behaviour described as "calmer" and "docile", considered positive in societies that practise female genital mutilation. Festivities, presents and special attention at the time of mutilation may mitigate some of the trauma experienced, but the most important psychological effect on a woman who has survived is the feeling that she is acceptable to her society, having upheld the traditions of her culture and made herself eligible for marriage, often the only role available to her. It is possible that a woman who did not undergo genital mutilation could suffer psychological problems as a result of rejection by the society. Where the FGM-practising community is in a minority, women are thought to be particularly vulnerable to psychological problems, caught as they are between the social norms of their own community and those of the majority culture. Why FGM is practised Cultural identity Custom and tradition are by far the most frequently cited reasons for FGM. Along with other physical or behavioural characteristics, FGM defines who is in the group. This is most obvious where mutilation is carried out as part of the initiation into adulthood. Jomo Kenyatta, the late President of Kenya, argued that FGM was inherent in the initiation which is in itself an essential part of being Kikuyu, to such an extent that "abolition... will destroy the tribal system".5 A study in Sierra Leone reported a similar feeling about the social and political cohesion promoted by the Bundo and Sande secret societies, who carry out initiation mutilations and teaching. Many people in FGM-practising societies, especially traditional rural communities, regard FGM as so normal that they cannot imagine a woman who has not undergone mutilation. Others are quoted as saying that only outsiders or foreigners are not genitally mutilated. A girl cannot be considered an adult in a FGM-practising society unless she has undergone FGM. "Of course I shall have them circumcised exactly as their parents, grandparents and sisters were circumcised. This is our custom." An Egyptian woman, talking about her young daughters 4 Gender identity FGM is often deemed necessary in order for a girl to be considered a complete woman, and the practice marks the divergence of the sexes in terms of their future roles in life and marriage. The removal of the clitoris and labia ' viewed by some as the "male parts" of a woman's body ' is thought to enhance the girl's femininity, often synonymous with docility and obedience. It is possible that the trauma of mutilation may have this effect on a girl's personality. If mutilation is part of an initiation rite, then it is accompanied by explicit teaching about the woman's role in her society. "We are circumcised and insist on circumcising our daughters so that there is no mixing between male and female... An uncircumcised woman is put to shame by her husband, who calls her 'you with the clitoris'. People say she is like a man. Her organ would prick the man..." An Egyptian woman 6 Control of women's sexuality and reproductive functions In many societies, an important reason given for FGM is the belief that it reduces a woman's desire for sex, therefore reducing the chance of sex outside marriage. The ability of unmutilated women to be faithful through their own choice is doubted. In many FGM-practising societies, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a woman to marry if she has not undergone mutilation. In the case of infibulation, a woman is "sewn up" and "opened" only for her husband. Societies that practise infibulation are strongly patriarchal. Preventing women from indulging in "illegitimate" sex, and protecting them from unwilling sexual relations, are vital because the honour of the whole family is seen to be dependent on it. Infibulation does not, however, provide a guarantee against "illegitimate" sex, as a woman can be "opened" and "closed" again. In some cultures, enhancement of the man's sexual pleasure is a reason cited for mutilation. Anecdotal accounts, however, suggest that men prefer unmutilated women as sexual partners. "Circumcision makes women clean, promotes virginity and chastity and guards young girls from sexual frustration by deadening their sexual appetite." Mrs Njeri, a defender of female genital mutilation in Kenya7 Beliefs about hygiene, aesthetics and health Cleanliness and hygiene feature consistently as justifications for FGM. Popular terms for mutilation are synonymous with purification (tahara in Egypt, tahur in Sudan), or cleansing (sili-ji among the Bambarra, an ethnic group in Mali). In some FGM-practising societies, unmutilated women are regarded as unclean and are not allowed to handle food and water. Testimony "I was genitally mutilated at the age of ten. I was told by my late grandmother that they were taking me down to the river to perform a certain ceremony, and afterwards I would be given a lot of food to eat. As an innocent child, I was led like a sheep to be slaughtered. Once I entered the secret bush, I was taken to a very dark room and undressed. I was blindfolded and stripped naked. I was then carried by two strong women to the site for the operation. I was forced to lie flat on my back by four strong women, two holding tight to each leg. Another woman sat on my chest to prevent my upper body from moving. A piece of cloth was forced in my mouth to stop me screaming. I was then shaved. When the operation began, I put up a big fight. The pain was terrible and unbearable. During this fight, I was badly cut and lost blood. All those who took part in the operation were half-drunk with alcohol. Others were dancing and singing, and worst of all, had stripped naked. I was genitally mutilated with a blunt penknife. After the operation, no one was allowed to aid me to walk. The stuff they put on my wound stank and was painful. These were terrible times for me. Each time I wanted to urinate, I was forced to stand upright. The urine would spread over the wound and would cause fresh pain all over again. Sometimes I had to force myself not to urinate for fear of the terrible pain. I was not given any anaesthetic in the operation to reduce my pain, nor any antibiotics to fight against infection. Afterwards, I haemorrhaged and became anaemic. This was attributed to witchcraft. I suffered for a long time from acute vaginal infections." Hannah Koroma, Sierra Leone Connected with this is the perception in FGM-practising communities that women's unmutilated genitals are ugly and bulky. In some cultures, there is a belief that a woman's genitals can grow and become unwieldy, hanging down between her legs, unless the clitoris is excised. Some groups believe that a woman's clitoris is dangerous and that if it touches a man's penis he will die. Others believe that if the baby's head touches the clitoris during childbirth, the baby will die. Ideas about the health benefits of FGM are not unique to Africa. In 19th Century England, there were debates as to whether clitoridectomy could cure women of "illnesses" such as hysteria and "excessive" masturbation. Clitoridectomy continued to be practised for these reasons until well into this century in the USA. However, health benefits are not the most frequently cited reason for mutilation in societies where it is still practised; where they are, it is more likely to be because mutilation is part of an initiation where women are taught to be strong and uncomplaining about illness. Some societies where FGM is practised believe that it enhances fertility, the more extreme believing that an unmutilated woman cannot conceive. In some cultures it is believed that clitoridectomy makes childbirth safer. Religion FGM predates Islam and is not practised by the majority of Muslims, but has acquired a religious dimension. Where it is practised by Muslims, religion is frequently cited as a reason. Many of those who oppose mutilation deny that there is any link between the practise and religion, but Islamic leaders are not unanimous on the subject. The Qur'an does not contain any call for FGM, but a few hadith (sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad) refer to it. In one case, in answer to a question put to him by 'Um 'Attiyah (a practitioner of FGM), the Prophet is quoted as saying "reduce but do not destroy". Mutilation has persisted among some converts to Christianity. Christian missionaries have tried to discourage the practice, but found it to be too deep rooted. In some cases, in order to keep converts, they have ignored and even condoned the practice. FGM was practised by the Falasha (Ethiopian Jews), but it is not known if the practise has persisted following their emigration to Israel. The remainder of the FGM-practising community follow traditional Animist religions. Resp 4 of 4: Maggie (sociolingo) Tue, Feb 1, 2000 (13:03) 10 lines Not sure if this the right place but: For a recent (March 1999) analysis of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda see the 807 page report by Alison Des Forges, _Leave None to Tell the Story: Genocide in Rwanda_ (Human Rights Watch, March 1999) available online at http://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/rwanda/ Resp 5 of 6: Marcia (MarciaH) Tue, Feb 1, 2000 (16:59) 1 lines Thanks Maggie..it is as good as any place you could post it. Resp 6 of 6: Paul Terry Walhus (terry) Wed, Feb 2, 2000 (07:09) 2 lines You'll want to repost it at the new site, as this old site is going down soon.

Thanks for the suggestion, Terry. I have done so - as soon as I could, actually!

Sure thing Marcia.

[Well, ok, here we are. Looks a bit slow. Let's try to change that, and somebody's gotta take the fall, anyway... Ready to roll?] Let's take a look at that case above, I've got pretty clear feelings about that, but also some mixed ideas about some questions around that: Do we have the right to tell folks about what customs are cool and what are not? (E.g. male circumcision is also done in many countries, and not only to babies, and not with anaesthetics, either... or doctors...) How can we tell them their religious ideas are wrong, when religion is about believing, and there IS a belief about a relation between these customs and their religion? What would change if these things were done in what we believe to be proper medical fashion? And: what could we do to help the girls NOW impacted by these traditions, how can we influence these practices, without sounding "kolo": totally colonial and culturally imperialistic? What ideas and help can we offer without acting along "me civilized, you bush"-lines?

Alexander, we have Needed you here! It makes me more than a little sick that some of this mutilation to women is done to make them more marriageable. There is nothing we can do about it, either. It will continue to be done, just as abortions are here, if it is desired by any one of the parties involved. Change must come from within. Educating native ladies in the west has made great strides, but it will continue... And, if you think it really equates with male circumcision, I'd be surprised. Do you really?

Did I say so? Fact is, there are initiation rites done on boys of around ten years of age, with just knifes and no medication. Big family celebration! Happy happy joy joy! And these practices are much wider spread than female genital mutilation. Back on topic: While the above-mentioned retraining sounds very sensible, it also feels a bit strange to me: #1. Training of one former excisioner: #to become a strong advocate for the eradication of FGM; #in alternative income generating skills. #2. Training of one opinion leader: #to become a strong advocate for the eradication of FGM. If I understand it correctly, many excisioners depend economically, socially and culturally on doing this - if they agree to be trained for doing different things, and revoke their long-cherished system of ideas and values, what is replacing them? And, if they agree to get this replaced with something else, doesn't it mean the whole tradition didn't mean a lot to them in the first place?

Civilization seems to need rites of passage, and if one does not participate in one or another of them, however barbaric they seem to the outside world, one feels outside of society. It bonds one with the culture and it engenders feelings of belonging. We all need that despite some denial going on here and there. I also wondered about having a livlihood of just doing such "surgery"... I hope that was an over-simplification.

My two cents: The impetus for reform is coming from ladies themselves in many african countries - it's not (always) a 'kolo' thing imposed idea from outside. In anearlier email on the subject to Marcia I told of (Gambian)ladies at the supermarket checkouts in Banjul who had collecting boxes by their tills for these programs. There was quite a lot of feeling about it - and that was 10 years ago. One problem is that the mutilation - whilst I agree it is part of a valid rite of passage - cuases not only immediate pain etc. but if you had seen the childbirth problems you would have cried. The male operation is mild in comparison and has few long term complications. I don't know about women who have this 'role' (of surgeon) as their only means of income, it is most likely to be one of a number of jobs they do (from my experience anyway), it is seasonal as well. Usually there is a particular time of year that these things are done, and usually to a group of girls/boys not just individuals. It goes along with other 'socia isation' and 'educational' inductions.

Welcome to the discussion Maggie. I needed you to be here!

I guess I feel quite strongly on the matter, whilst respecting people's rights to act as they please. It's an interesting dichotomy! Philosphically and ethically I believe people have a right to behave as they wish if it doesn't harm others (e.g. I'm against child abuse which I do not believe is right). In many ways this issue can be seen (by some) to be 'child abuse' despite the cultural rights issue. On the question of rights: Have you seen a news article recently about Iceland. The Icelandic government have sold (for about 8 million pounds) the medical records of its citizens for genetic research (on the data). It raises all sorts of questions. At the moment people have to actively opt out of the scheme. Many are upset about it.

Iceland did that? I am most surprised. They have an enlightened populace. No wonder they are upset about it. I would be, too! I am in your corner thinking the former is child abuse, and has long term terrible prices to be paid by the "victim". I wish a man could be split from tip to base and then told it will only hurt when certain acts happen. Then, perhaps they would be a little more careful of the brutalities which they perpetuate against the females in their families. I am quite angry about this issue, actually, and may have to be scarce in here because of it. Obviously Alexander is looking at the large sociological question whereas I am right in there with the latest surgically-threatened female. One will never understand the other.

It is an emotive issue, not just for us 'outsiders'. The sociological issues about respecting others cultures/beliefs etc are important, but, just as with child employment reform (which was ingrained into British culture not that long ago), there are some issues that need to be faced. It's not that long ago (again in British society) that it was culturally fashionable for women to wear very constricting corsets (a symbol again of slavery/represion?) which were not just a matter of fashion but physically damaging - organs were displaced, distorted and damaged, blood flow was constricted, childbirth was even more dangerous than it needed to be. Culturally a woman without a corset was 'loose' and immoral, in much the same way that women who have not been FGM'd in some societies are shunned and considered immoral. Some courageous women, in the name of female emancipation, fought the constriction - both social and moral, of the corset, and my generation reaps that reward. OK, there wasn't an obvious religious onnection, but I believe the issue of FGM is greater than just an Islamic thng. I think, like male circumcision, it's a much wider spread practice, again because of the symbolic significance. Rites of passage are essential to human psychological well-being. However, it is often not the actual physical rite itself that holds the psychological power, but the symbolic meaning of it. It is a good rule of thumb that if a 'rite' is taken away (for whatever reason) then a symbolic substitute needs to be found. African societies, and African women in particular, are questioning the rite but not necessarily the symbolism. I don't know about other continents. Don't run away from this Marcia, just widen the issue.

I am here with you, Maggie. Alexander, we need your counterpoint, as well. Ask the hard questions. It is the only way we will ever understand each other - even if we do not agree!

Why do I always get to do the nasty stuff? I feel so, uh, untypically un-rude today... Plus I'm not too insightful right now. I invest all brain-grease and feel-about into my devious scheming, dealing and wheeling (aka the mag).

You ARE mellow, my dear Alexander! So nice to see, even if it is because you have suffered severe brain strain on behalf of SUPERSTAR. We'll wait till you are back to your usual self...um...if that what it is...*smile*

On the equality issue I saw this recently (from United Nations Development programme) Nearly 900 million women world wide have incomes of less than 62p (30cents?) a day. Women spend two thirds of their work time in unpaid activities, men only a quarter. More than 130 million children do not attend primary school: two thirds of them are girls. As many as half a million women die in childbirth every year. Nearly 340 million women are not expected to survive to the age of 40. Adult femal literacy in the world's least developed countries stands at 38 per cent (compared with 58 per cent for men).

My father must have been an enlightened man of the highest order. He wanted the smartest grandchildren on Earth so he sent his daughters to college. We did him proud - not just on our own accomplishments academically, but he also got those smart grandchildren he wanted. Wise man, my father!

I had the opposite. My parents couldn't see why I wanted to stay on a school until 18 - I'm a girl and I don't need to. Even when I went to university for the first time at 40 to do an MA they wouldn't talk about it - or come to my graduation when I got a distinction! Sad. Needless to say they ignore what I'm doing now - although they talk about everything else.

Oh Maggie! I am SO sorry! I don't supposed I could be your mother for a day, but I am already so very proud of you! How could they be so provincial with their very own daughter?! *Big Hugs of Support* I think you are fantastic!

Thanks. It still hurts sometimes, but I don't think it cripples me now. Still, when you think of the lack of the opportunities some kids have, I hope I can bring some encouragement somehow to some. I guess in a way, I should be glad of what has happened because it's shaped me and pushed me to do the things I'm doing! (That archeology programme has just started on TV so I'm going to watch it. Let you know hwat it's about in archology topic in your conference.)

That's why I have been a long-time supporter of students at the UHHilo. It is difficult enough to get through college even with a cheering section. It is a lonely slog, otherwise. You will be wonderful in your encouragement r�le. Love the Archaeology item you posted. I went there first *grin*

I think this probably belongs here: Democracy and human rights are not cousins. Human rights constitute the very foundation of democracy. People fight for the right to self-determination, for the right to be recognised and accorded the rights and privileges of citizenship simply to affirm the fact that they, like all other peoples are born equal; that they have equal right to life, liberty and freedom. People fight to affirm their inalienable right to a government that will not only guarantee these attributes but also ensure their well being, and for the right to change their government if this social contract is breached. This is what drives social struggles throughout history; and this is what democracy is intended to guarantee. A democratic regime is one that recognises and upholds the identity of human beings. Wherever people are denied the basic means of livelihood and self-respect, as narrated by Ezra Mbogori in the case of the household, and Dede Amanor-Wilks in the case of Zimbabwe's farm workers, there is no democracy. Such people are denied very basic human entitlements. Of course, fundamental human entitlements encompass many more than these - education, for example. In Africa the vast majority of the people lack even the barest minimum of these to fulfil their nature as human beings. Yet our struggles since colonialism have revolved around on the need to realise our basic humanity. In Zimbabwe, the right to land is central to the people's struggle for who and what they are. Other groups may define or anchor the struggle for their rights differently. Thus today the struggle for human rights has assumed many forms - from mass alienation to street protests and civil wars. To characterise all such form of social action as undemocratic is to miss the fundamental nature of such struggles. The heart of the matter is that the growing sophistication and cruelty of the forms and instruments of exploitation and oppression prevailing on the continent has compelled people to resort to equally different forms and strategies of protest and challenge. Genocide and other tragic aberrations are an exception; for they also constitute an abomination. Kwame A. Ninsin African Association of Political Science Harare, Zimbabwe

Yes! Good place for it! Well thought-out and well-written comments. Very true.

A disappointint thought - despite having equal pay legislation in Britain since 1975, women are still recieving substantially less pay than men for similar work. Some jobs are still gendered, and the divide at times seems to be becoming wider not narrower. Gone are the days where women could (at a push) go to university but not receive a degree, but yet wages are still paid on thebasis of gender and not merit. I am apalled.

You are not alone being apalled! Except for the enlightened and the very visible sector (where salaries are public knowledge - as in politics and civil service), salaries in the US are no more enlightened than they are where you are.

I hope you don't mind me posting this here - I find it very upsetting. This is my part of the world. WEST AFRICA: IRIN Focus on child trafficking [2000229] [This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations] CHILDREN: IRIN Focus on child trafficking in west and central Africa LIBREVILLE, 28 February 2000 (IRIN) - From 14-year-old girls forced into prostitution to domestics just out of their infancy and pre-teen boys leased to cattlemen, west and central African children are being condemned to deprivation and servitude, researchers and officials told IRIN. No-one knows exactly how many young lives are broken in this way. In fact, finding out and keeping data bases on the twin evils of child trafficking and the exploitation of children's labour are part of a common platform for action agreed at a regional consultation held on 22-24 February. In most of the region, girls, some of them as young as eight years old, are taken from from rural areas to towns to work as domestics. Many work for 12 hours each day and more, and are subjected to physical, mental and sexual abuse. Those taken from their countries also face isolation, some studies noted. Children from Mali are taken to Cote d'Ivoire via Burkina Faso, which is both a supplier of and transit point for child workers. So are Benin, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo, some of which are also recipient countries. Children are taken to Equatorial Guinea and to and from Cameroon. Gambian researchers suspect that there might be children going to work as domestics in Banjul from the southern Senegalese region of Casamance where a guerrilla war has been going on for 17 years. Kounboua Boulo Edoux of the Ministry of Labour in Chad told IRIN that nomadic cattlemen from northern Cameroon and central Chad travel to Moyen Chari region in southern Chad in the dry season, contract boys from farming communities to tend their herds, and take them as far as Central African Republic (CAR). The 'Subregional Consultation on Developing Strategies on the Trafficking of Children for Exploitative Labour Purposes in West and Central Africa' was held in Libreville, capital of Gabon, one of the countries to which people illegally ship children, some of whom die along the way. In one such case some two years ago, Nigerian researcher Professor Peter Obigbo told IRIN, about 30 children drowned when a boat capsized while taking them from southern Nigeria to Gabon. Child trafficking occurs both within and between countries as studies presented at the consultation - organised by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) showed. While doing sensitisation work in southern Chad on the worst forms of labour - the subject of a mid-1999 ILO convention that the Libreville meeting urged African governments to ratify - he met a small group of herdboys who had run away from their masters in the CAR. They were haggard, hungry and covered with wounds sustained while trekking through the bush back to the Chad border, according to Edoux. Their ages? "Twelve, thirteen," he said. The herdsmen approach parents either directly or through middle men, or area residents who earn 3,000 CFA francs (less than US $5) per boy, according to Edoux. The child is supposed to work for six months after which he receives a calf as payment and is taken back to his parents, an arrangement which some masters honour. Others, however, find pretexts to end it prematurely, which means that the child is not paid, while some take the children with them when they go back to their home areas at the end of the dry season. According to Edoux, soldiers from Moyen Chari stationed in central Chad sometimes rescue children left stranded after being abandoned by or running away from their bosses. Boys are also contracted out to cattle rearers in Ghana, receiving a cow at the end of four years' service, according to Emelia Oguaah, executive director of the African Centre for Human Development and one of a team of consultants who presented at the consultation preliminary findings from research they did for a subregional project of the ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO-IPEC). Other boys work as assistant fishermen and, according to information she obtained while doing her survey in areas along the Volta Lake in eastern Ghana, these children fall into two categories. "Most are brought by their parents as apprentices in fishing or to work and assist the fishermen," Oguaah told IRIN. "Their parents collect money and visit their children regularly. But there is another group of children who, people in the area suspect, were stolen and sold to the fishermen." Area residents told her nobody visited these children "who become more or less slaves and are maltreated in various ways." Other Ghanaian children, girls, are taken to Cote d'Ivoire to work as maids, helpers in small restaurants or prostitutes, mainly by middle-aged Ghanaian women living in Cote d'Ivoire, according to Oguaah. Their unsuspecting parents generally have no idea of the conditions under which they work, she said, adding that the families of those forced into prostitution are made to believe their children would be given work. Overworked and illtreated, some run away and find their way to the Ghanaian border. "Those who come back are mostly those taken for prostitution and they are usually between 10 and 14," Oguaah told IRIN. Public transport operators, she said, told her they often arranged transportation for the returnees, but some refused to go back home because of conditions there and ended up living on the streets of Takoradi, a major town in the west of the country. Why do parents send their children to town or abroad to work? The reasons are legion, but poverty is one most often cited, according to Oguaah, Ebigbo - who was also a member of the team of ILO-IPEC consultants - and other participants in the Libreville encounter. Other contributory factors include lack of awareness of the risks involved, insufficient training and educational opportunities and a high demand for cheap, submissive child labour, the inexistence or inadequacy of national laws on child trafficking, weak institutional mechanisms and inadequate border controls, according to the platform for action that participants in the consultation have undertaken to implement. The platform includes strengthening sensitisation campaigns - which some countries have already started - targeting not only adult groups such as the media, women's associations and other NGOs that defend the rights of the child, but also children, through children's parliaments and other forms of organisation involving them. The platform also provides for reviewing penal codes to include child-trafficking offences which, it says, should be defined, and adequate and severe penaties set. It includes drawing up an international convention on child trafficking, stiffer regulations on the movement of children out of countries, training people who would implement new laws, and strengthening the capacity of monitoring structures and intervention units in terms of personnel and equipment. Another key area on which the consultation focused was the effect of trafficking and exploitative labour on the children. A UNICEF survey on Nigeria presented at the meeting noted that these practices result in the interruption of children's education, traumatises them and impairs their development. In the long term, children thus abused face a future of poverty and destitution and are sometimes caught up in a cycle of violence, insecurity and lawlessness, and HIV/Aids, according to the survey. A similar presentation on Burkina Faso noted that the traffic, "which is a brutal separation of the child from his or her family with all the emotional traumas this can cause ... develops negative sentiments and violent reactions in this fragile being, and makes him/her accustomed to violence" and certain types of anti-social behaviour. Improving care for the victims is therefore part of the platform. The government ministers, other state officials and non-governmental representatives who participated in the Libreville encounter agreed on a series of actions such as setting up or strengthening halfway houses and transit centres for children subjected to trafficking. They also expressed a commitment to "put in place human resources necessary for the medical and psycho-social support of children, and any other form of support, while waiting to reunite them with their families" and, after reunification, to empower parents to care for them. Empowering and strengthening the capacities of NGOs and providing protection for the victims of child trafficking, are also among the provisions of the platform, which provides further for improved knowledge and monitoring of trafficking. To guarantee implementation of the platform, the ministers undertook to report on its results as soon as they returned home, and delegates agreed, among other things, to set up a standing sub-regional monitoring committee comprising representatives of governments, labour, employers and civil society, with the participation of ILO and UNICEF. [ENDS] [IRIN-WA: Tel: +225 20 217354 Fax: +225 20 216335 e-mail: irin-wa@irin.ci] [This item is delivered in the English service of the UN's IRIN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. For further information, free subscriptions, or to change your keywords, contact e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org or Web: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN . If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer.] Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2000

What a nightmare! You posted it exactly where it should have been posted. I can remember being 14 and I would have been devastated if my parents had done that to me. Imagine?!

This was sent to me today and I think it important enough to post: http://jsa-44.hum.uts.edu.au/signposts/articles/Philippines/Women/index.html Articles : Philippines : Women ACIJ features Sex Tourism in the Philippines by Sarah Ford - August 1995 The following feature is by Sarah Ford who visited the Philippines on behalf of the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism in mid 1995. A shorter version of this article was published in the Australian newpaper. Australian Bar and Hotel Owners, Angeles City by Sarah Ford - August 1995 These names were gathered by a journalist who visited the Philippines on behalf of the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism. They provide a useful starting point for journalists or researchers who plan to investigate Australian sex tourism in the Philippines. Note from interview with welfare worker, Angeles City by Sarah Ford - August 1995 These are notes from an interview (23/6/95) between Sarah Ford, a journalist who visited the Philippines on behalf of the Australian Centre for Journalism at the University of Technology, Sydney and a community organiser in Angeles City. These notes provide useful background information for anyone researching sex tourism in Angeles City.

Please to to the URL for the entire article in each case - something must be done!

Sobering thoughts.

Yes! Especially when the note with the URL said it was just the tip of the ice berg. Imagine how your life is changed and destroyed by such circumstances. It is so horrific that my mind recoils.

It is unimaginable. Mostly we can't allow outselves to think about it, but from time to time there are things we can do to support those who fight such dreadful things. I was very upset about the sexual abuse of little girls in my part of Africa.

...by the very people who are supposed to protect them - their parents!

or their uncles ....

*shudder*

got this today and it sorta fits here. Subject: H-WA - Senegalese Network on AIDS Research To: H-WEST-AFRICA@H-NET.MSU.EDU Add Addresses From: Charles Becker, becker@ird.sn Date: May 25, 2000 Subject: Senegalese Network on AIDS Research - Reseau senegalais de Recherche sur le Sida Short English version: The Senegalese network of AIDS researchers prepared a summary of its activities and objectives, including their aim of strengthening the link between researchers and those affected by Aids, to be presented at the Durban Conference. The Senegalese network has work diligently on numerous projects, including a 2000 campaign for the prevention of mother-child disease transmission. It has also recently published an exhaustive bibliographical report on Aids Research in West Africa. In response to their proposed presentation at the Durban Conference, the Senegalese network on Aids Research was asked first to summarize their work in poster form. Then it was suggested instead that they produce leaflets to be distributed at the conferences at their own expense. This cost added to the conference registration, traveling and housing expenses during the conference, is prohibitive and will determine who gets to participate in a conference of such global importance. It is regrettable that the voices of the people of Africa are muffled by those countries that are financially endowed. It is through these discriminatory means that research from the South is excluded from international dialogue. Researchers and uthors from southern countries must seek their own venues to present and exchange scientific research. We must also protest against this system of international conference organizing controlled and dominated by northern countries.

Women in Africa's development Overcoming obstacles, pushing for progress By Takyiwaa Manuh (Africa Recovery, United Nations) African women's fundamental contributions in their households, food production systems and national economies are increasingly acknowledged, within Africa and by the international community. This is due, in no small part, to African women's own energetic efforts to organize, articulate their concerns and make their voices heard. At both grassroots and national levels, more women's associations have been formed during the 1990s, taking advantage of the new political openings to assert their leadership roles. They are also pressing for an expansion of women's economic and social opportunities, and the advancement of women's rights. By improving their own positions, they are simultaneously strengthening African society as a whole, as well as enhancing the continent's broader development prospects. But women in Africa continue to face enormous obstacles. The growing recognition of their contributions has not translated into significantly improved access to resources or increased decision-making powers. Neither has the dynamism that women display in the economic, cultural and social lives of their communities through their associations and informal networks been channeled into creating new models of participation and leadership. Read the rest of the article at: http://www.un.org/ecosocdev/geninfo/afrec/bpaper/maineng.htm