The Arab country promulgated a religious edict against female genital mutilation

Although female genital mutilation has been officially banned in Egypt for a decade, this archaic ritual is still practiced in many areas of the country, mainly rural. The last sad case had as a protagonist a girl of only 12 years, who suffered serious tears. This event has led one of the main Muslim authorities in the country to enact a fatwa (religious edict) declaring ablation as a non-Islamic practice, in response to some clerics who consider it “a necessity”.

Leer en español: Tras alarmante caso, Egipto quiere poner fin a la mutilación genital femenina

In addition, the Egyptian Prosecutor General’s Office has launched an investigation against the doctor who carried out the mutilation of the girl in the province of Sohag, about 400 kilometers south of Cairo. The minor had to be treated urgently for the heavy bleeding she suffered. The official body in charge of publishing religious edicts, Dar al-Ifta, publicly stated that ablation is not mentioned in Islamic legislation and that it should be eradicated due to its negative impact on the physical and psychological well-being of the female population. The statement issued by this organization explains that “this practice has no religious origin, it comes from inherited traditions and customs. The greatest proof is that the Prophet Muhammad never circumcised his daughters.”

According to the entity, the ablation has been practiced for several centuries by some Arab tribes, but circumstances have changed. Also, the organization warns of religious edicts that are promulgated without medical knowledge, since several health studies have shown how harmful this practice is in girls and adolescents.

Egypt leads the world classification in ablations, surpassing countries such as Ethiopia, Nigeria or Indonesia. In the world, one in five mutilated lives in the country of the pharaohs. 27.2 million Egyptians have had to go through this trance. According to state data, 92.3% of women married between 15 and 49 years of this country have suffered from this practice.

In the rural areas of the Arab nation, 96% of minors are mutilated, a percentage that is reduced to 85% in the urban areas. Despite the increasingly frequent educational campaigns to avoid this practice, there are still many influential voices that continue to defend it, as ablation is used in several Arab countries to reduce the libido of women, preserve their virginity until marriage and eliminate any temptation to adultery.

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In the same statement, Dar al-Ifta said that “ablation is still valid as a social norm in rural and impoverished areas of the country. In Islam we must protect the body from harm, it is a duty, and those who do not should be punished.”

Although two years ago the law passed in 2008, which increased prison sentences for doctors who carried out this practice, was hardened, thousands of women are still mutilated in Egypt every year. However, since the ban is only known a case of a doctor who has gone to prison for this practice, it was in 2013, and only served two years and three months of sentence despite the fact that Soheir, the 13-year-old girl who underwent ablation passed away shortly thereafter.

Latin American Post | José María González Alonso

Translated from “Tras alarmante caso, Egipto quiere poner fin a la mutilación genital femenina”