Navrongo Health Research Centre, Navrongo, Ghana.
University of Calgary, Department of Medicine, Calgary, Canada.
PLoS One. 2019 Apr 22;14(4):e0214923. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214923. eCollection 2019.
Globally, an estimated two million women have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and approximately four percent of women who have been circumcised live in Ghana. In the Bawku Municipality and Pusiga District, sixty one percent of women have undergone the procedure. This study therefore aimed at identifying the factors that sustain the practice of FGM despite its illegality, in the Bawku Municipality and the Pusiga District.
This study used a descriptive qualitative design based on grounded theory. We used purposive sampling to identify and recruit community stakeholders, and then used the snowball sampling to identify, recruit, and interview circumcised women. We then used community stakeholders to identify two types of focus group participants: men and women of reproductive age and older men and women from the community. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted and qualitative analysis undertaken to develop a conceptual framework for understanding both the roots and the drivers of FGM.
Historical traditions and religious rites preserve FGM and ensure its continuity, and older women and peers are a source of support for the practice through the pressure they exert. The easy movement of women across borders (to where FGM is still practice) helps to perpetuate the practice, as does the belief that FGM will preserve virginity and reduce promiscuity. In addition, male dominance and lack of female autonomy ensures continuation of the practice.
Female Genital Mutilation continues to persist despite its illegality because of social pressure on women/girls to conform to social norms, peer acceptance, fear of criticism and religious reasons. Implementing interventions targeting border towns, religious leaders and their followers, older men and women and younger men and women will help eradicate the practice.
全球估计有 200 万女性接受过女性生殖器切割,而在加纳,约有 4%的被切割女性生活在那里。在博库市和普西加区,61%的女性接受了这种手术。因此,这项研究旨在确定尽管女性生殖器切割是非法的,但在博库市和普西加区仍存在这种做法的原因。
本研究采用基于扎根理论的描述性定性设计。我们使用目的性抽样来识别和招募社区利益相关者,然后使用滚雪球抽样来识别、招募和采访被切割的女性。然后,我们使用社区利益相关者来识别两种类型的焦点小组参与者:生殖年龄的男性和女性以及社区中的老年男性和女性。我们进行了深入访谈和焦点小组讨论,并进行了定性分析,以制定一个理解女性生殖器切割根源和驱动因素的概念框架。
历史传统和宗教仪式保护了女性生殖器切割,并确保其延续,而老年妇女和同龄人通过施加压力,成为该实践的支持来源。女性在边境(在那里女性生殖器切割仍在进行)的自由流动有助于该实践的延续,因为人们相信女性生殖器切割将保持贞操并减少滥交。此外,男性主导和女性缺乏自主权确保了该实践的延续。
尽管女性生殖器切割是非法的,但由于社会对女性/女孩的压力,要求她们遵守社会规范、同龄人接受、害怕批评和宗教原因,这种做法仍在继续存在。针对边境城镇、宗教领袖及其追随者、老年男性和女性以及年轻男性和女性实施干预措施将有助于消除这种做法。