Female genital cutting in the demographic and health surveys: a critical and comparative analysis

Abstract

Female genital cutting (FGC) also known as female circumcision or female genital mutilation (FGM) is a common practice in many societies in the northern half of sub-Saharan Africa as well as in Egypt and Yemen. Nearly universal in a few countries it is practiced by various groups in at least 25 African countries in Yemen and in immigrant populations in Europe and North America. The cutting varies from a symbolic nicking of the clitoris to excision of tissue and partial closure of the vaginal area (infibulation). The ritual aspects vary from the straightforward cutting of an infant in the household context to complex rituals involving the cutting of groups of adolescent girls held in seclusion for weeks or months. In a few societies the procedure is routinely carried out when a girl is a few weeks or a few months old (e.g. Eritrea Yemen); in most it occurs later in childhood or in adolescence. This comparative report summarizes data on FGC from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) implemented between 1989 and 2002. It is intended to make more accessible the basic information on the distribution and practice of FGC and to encourage country-specific analysis of DHS data on FGC. The report describes the types of DHS data available on FGC outlines some overall patterns in the data identifies important changes over time and comments on the questionnaires used from 1989 to 2002. By the end of 2002 there were a total of 20 DHS surveys that included questions on the circumcision status of women. The surveys covered 15 countries in Africa plus Yemen. (excerpt)