Current critiques of the WHO policy on female genital mutilation

Journal article

Female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) is a global public health problem. The practice is particularly prevalent amongst people of African, Middle East and South East Asian descent. FGM/C creates a permanent change to the body of women. When such women migrate to other countries, they bring the associated social and health problems of FGM/C with them. As a multicultural society, Australia has many residents who come from settings in which FGM/C is prevalent. This qualitative study investigated whether healthcare professionals in Western Australia are prepared and able to provide adequate healthcare to women living with FGM/C. We found that there is a paucity of literature in Australia generally, and Western Australia more specifically, about FGM/C and the associated experiences of healthcare providers. Healthcare professionals were found to experience challenges when working with women living with FGM/C, mainly because of poor cultural sensitivity and poor levels of communication, and lacked appropriate education and training for working with women living with FGM/C. This study identified a need for empirical studies on how women living with FGM/C experience sexual and reproductive health services in Western Australia

Authors: Earp, BD; Johnsdotter, S

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Springer Nature [academic journals on nature.com]
• Journal: International Journal of Impotence Research
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 196-209
• Publication date: 2020-05-26
• DOI: 10.1038/s41443-020-0302-0
• EISSN: 1476-5489
• ISSN: 0955-9930
• Language: English
• Keywords: Gynecology; Sociology; Transgender; CONTEST; Medicine; Female circumcision; Population; Torture; Sex organ; Criminology; Terminology; Reproductive health; Political science; Human rights; Gender studies; Law; Environmental health; Directive; Psychology