The Transnational Phenomenon of Female Genital Mutilation
On October 7th 2014 the Academic Council on the United Nations System hosted the side-event on the Book Presentation of Ms. Berhane Ras-Work: “The Unbidden Pain” at the UNODC Crime Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. The second day on October 8th 2014 was held in EGA (Vienna Women´s Center of the Social Democratic party). This both events was organized by the African Women Organization in Austria in cooperation with Austrian Development Cooperation, Ministry of Education for women´s, Vienna Women´s Center, Vienna Culture department MA7, ACUNS, ACTPEW, Integration and Foreign Affairs. Please find in Attachment some Pictures of the Events.https://abugidawien11.wordpress.com/heritage/integeration/100-anniversary-of-international-womens-day/
Desta Alemu
Female Genital Mutilation is basically physically altering the external female organ: the labia majora, the labia minora, the clitoris and the prepuce, urethra, vaginal opening and the perinum. Each of these organs are very sensitive to touch and protect the internal reproductive organs. The labia majora (the big or outer lip) is thick fatty folds of fleshy tissue covering and protecting softer and delicate tissue of the inner lip, the labia minora, which in turn protects and covers the urine tube and the vaginal opening. The clitoris is an organ covered with foreskin (prepuce) and supplied blood vessels and nerves and is very sensitive. The vaginal opening and the urethra are openings leading to the womb and the urinary bludder respectively. The perinum is the stretchable skin between the anus and the genitalia.
The World Health Organization defines FGM as follows:
“Female genital mutilation constitutes all procedures which involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural or any other non-therapeutic reasons”. (WHO 1996)
Another definition given by the Inter-African Committee is “Female genital mutilation designates the fact of meddling with body integrity and with normal functioning of female genital organs mainly, by total or partial cutting, excision, infibulation or by other means.” (IAC 1999)
The term FGM covers many varieties of genital mutilation. The various mutilations consist of the removal of the external and sometime internal, female sexual organs varying from an incision in the foreskin of the clitoris, up to and including the total amputation of the clitoris with the accompanying skin and the labia majora (Smith 1995). The main classification of this ritual include: Read More
Abugidawien 