Custom term paper The Tradition of Female Genital Cutting and Why It Should Be Banned

In addition, the female genital cutting is unacceptable as a form of violation of the rights of children. In this respect, it is possible to refer to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. According to the article 19 of this convention:
States Parties shall take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parent(s), legal guardian(s) or any other person who has the care of the child. (Convention on the Rights of the Child).
Obviously, the protection of the rights of the child should be the primary concern of legislators and government but the female genital cutting violates rights of children. Obviously, they cannot influence the decision or take a conscious decision to undergo this operation. Instead, they are forced to undergo the female genital cutting by adults, cultural norms and traditions.
Furthermore the article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child reads as follows:
States Parties shall take all effective and appropriate measures with a view to abolishing traditional practices prejudicial to the health of children. (Convention on the Rights of the Child).
And the Article 37 enhances the protection of children from violence and violation of their rights:
States Parties shall ensure that: a) No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Neither capital punishment nor life imprisonment without possibility of release shall be imposed for offences committed by persons below eighteen years of age. (Convention on the Rights of the Child).
In such a way, the female genital cutting may be viewed as a form of violation of rights of women.
At the same time, it is important to lay emphasis on the fact that, along with legal issues, the female genital cutting raises a number of health issues. As the matter of fact, many health care professionals ( Green, 181) warn against the female genital cutting as a dangerous operation that can lead to negative effects on female health.

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Specialists (Essen & Johnsdotter, 612) argue that the female genital cutting can provoke severe bleeding and urinating problems. Moreover, the operation can provoke childbirth complications and newborn deaths. Obviously, such risks cannot be justified by any cultural or religious tradition. In fact, the female genital cutting puts at the risk the life and health of women and their children. Therefore, the only reasonable decision that can be taken in regard to the female genital cutting is the total ban of this operation.
Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is important to lay emphasis on the fact that the female genital cutting persists and is supported due to its cultural and religious importance. People practicing the female genital cutting associate this procedure with the initiation of girls, their transition from childhood to adulthood and often this operation is viewed as the manifestation of the cultural identity of women. On the other hand, it is obvious that the female genital cutting is the violation of basic rights of women and children. Moreover, the female genital cutting exposes women as well as their newborn child to serious risks which may lead to a consistent deterioration of health or death of women and their newborn children. Therefore, the female genital cutting should be totally banned.

Works Cited:
Braun, Virginia: “In search of (better) sexual pleasure: female genital ‘cosmetic’ surgery”. Sexualities 8(4):407-424, 2005.
Convention on the Rights of the Child. 1989.
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination of Women. 1979.
Essen, B & Johnsdotter, S. “Female Genital Mutilation in the West: Traditional Circumcision versus Genital Cosmetic Surgery”. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand,(83):611-613, 2004.
Green, Fiona. “From clitoridectomies to ‘designer vaginas’: The medical construction of heteronormative female bodies and sexuality through female genital cutting.” Sexualities, Evolution & Gender7(2):153-187, 2005.