Lunde Ingvild Bergom, Sagbakken Mette
Researcher, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Norway.
Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Oslo and Akershus University College, Oslo, Norway.
Reprod Health Matters. 2014 May;22(43):169-77. doi: 10.1016/S0968-8080(14)43759-5.
According to several sources, little progress is being made in eliminating the cutting of female genitalia. This paper, based on qualitative interviews and observations, explores perceptions of female genital cutting and elimination of the phenomenon in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Two main groups of participants were interviewed: (1) 22 representatives of organisations whose work directly relates to female genital cutting; and (2) 16 individuals representing different groups of society. It was found that there is an increasing use of medical staff and equipment when a girl undergoes the procedure of female genital cutting; the use of terminology is crucial in understanding current perceptions of female genital cutting; religion is both an important barrier and facilitator of elimination; and finally, traditional gender structures are currently being challenged in Hargeisa. The findings of this study suggest that it is important to consider current perceptions on practices of female genital cutting and on abandonment of female genital cutting, in order to gain useful knowledge on the issue of elimination. The study concludes that elimination of female genital cutting is a multifaceted process which is constantly negotiated in a diversity of social settings.
根据多个消息来源，在消除女性生殖器切割方面进展甚微。本文基于定性访谈和观察，探讨了索马里兰哈尔格萨对女性生殖器切割及消除这一现象的看法。主要采访了两组参与者：（1）22名工作与女性生殖器切割直接相关的组织代表；（2）16名代表不同社会群体的个人。研究发现，女孩接受女性生殖器切割手术时，医务人员和设备的使用越来越多；术语的使用对于理解当前对女性生殖器切割的看法至关重要；宗教既是消除这一现象的重要障碍，也是促进因素；最后，哈尔格萨的传统性别结构目前正受到挑战。本研究结果表明，重要的是要考虑当前对女性生殖器切割做法及放弃女性生殖器切割的看法，以便获取有关消除这一问题的有用知识。该研究得出结论，消除女性生殖器切割是一个多方面的过程，在各种社会环境中不断进行协商。
