ANNOUNCEMENTS
Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C) refers to a range of procedures that involve the partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia, or any other form of injury to the female genital organs for non-medical purposes. The practice can be categorized into four types: Clitoreductomy, Excision, Infibulation, and other harmful actions performed on the female genitals. And has no justification of any health benefits. It has been a global concern, where around 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone the practice , across more than 31 countries. And an estimated 68 million girls are still at risk of undergoing this practice between the years 2015 and 2030. The practice is highly prevalence in the Dawoodi Bohra Community, a sect of the shia muslims, in India. The practice of FGM/C is widely percieved and mentioned as Khafz in the community and is of very high significance for the community as it is a religious practice for ‘Taharat’ (ritual purity and cleanliness).
The study tries to understand the knowledge, behaviour and attitude of the community towards teh practice of FGM / Khafz and how the community refuses to denote the practice of Khafz as FGM, as they understand the Khafz to be a religious ritual, that means no harm to anyone. Further understanding the sher ignorance of the community about the various physical and physiological consequences of the practice, and sustaining the practice, through the justification of faith and age old traditions. Further, the paper, tries to understand the emerging concern on the medicalization of FGM as well as medical ethics with regards to carring out the procedure. And at last understanding the various steps taken by the international bodies to address the growing concern of FGM/C and examining the steps taken by the national bodies to not just eliminate but atleast to address the issue of FGM/Khafz.
KEYWORDS - FGM, Khafad ,Khatna, Dawoodi Bohra community, Control, India.
