International crisis: female genital mutilation.

• Author: Wood, Cynthia J.

Introduction

Female genital mutilation is also known as female circumcision around the world as a practice deeply intertwined in historical belief systems based on culture, religion, or both (Rahman and Toubia, 2001). According to Edim, et al. (2012), the 'United Nations, under Bejing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995)' defined female genital mutilation as 'any act of gender-based violence that result in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering to women, including the threat of such act, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.'

Female genital mutilation affects all ages and classes of women. It is a ritual of cutting their genitals either as a child, as a rite of passage, or as a religious or cultural practice. Regions of Africa tend to have the highest rate of female genital cutting in the world with approximately 90% of families being affected by this act. Given its ties to personal beliefs systems, it has been hard to find a solution that completely eliminates female genital mutilation on a global scale. Law relating to female genital mutilation are not consistent from country to country and the United States has had a difficult time enforcing human rights laws to protect women and children against this crime (Rhaman and Toubia, 2001).

In order to protect these basic human rights, we must consider this crime on a multi-level global scale. What efforts are being made to eliminate female genital mutilation through means of U.S. Foreign Policy Reinforcement? What efforts are being made to eliminate female genital mutilation through means of Domestic Reinforcement? What efforts are being made to eliminate female genital mutilation through means of International Reinforcement? Answering these questions will allow us to tie these areas of reinforcement together to better understand the efforts being made to end this practice, on a grandeur scale, across the world.

According to Terry and Harris (2013), the World Health Organization (WHO) defined FGM, female genital mutilation, by the severity of the procedure which ranged from a very small laceration of the genitalia to completely removing the entire section of the genitals of a female. WHO suggested that approximately 140 million women and girls have been affected in some way throughout their lives. In Africa, the number rises to approximately 3 million girls who are in danger of having to undergo this procedure each year.

Terry and Harris (2013) suggest that most of these girls are encouraged by the adults within the family who have experienced female genital mutilation in the past. Without education and awareness of the mental, physical, and emotional dangers of this procedure, the mindset of these families continues to support female genital mutilation procedures for subsequent generations. Terry and Harris (2013) suggested that as parents become more aware of these issues, they are less and less likely to support it. Also, they will choose to keep their children away from the older generation who may perform this procedure on the babies and children without their parent's consent.

USFP Reinforcement

Throughout history, the U.S has continued to support efforts to create humanitarian laws that protect women and children against female genital mutilation.

US Foreign Policy Influences

Shell-Duncan, et al. (2013) stated that Hillary Clinton spoke out on several different occasions against female genital mutilation. While attending a conference in Senegal, Clinton stated that female genital mutilation was a crime against humankind and must be stopped (Shell-Duncan, et al., 2013). A survey was taken in Senegal, prior to Hillary Clinton's visit to the region, to determine how the people of Senegal viewed female circumcision. The survey showed that societies, from an economic standpoint, will act in accordance to what the law states to be appropriate behavior. However, according to their evaluation of Senegal relating to societal control, societal norms that people place on each other will control behavior most effectively. After this visit, officials in Senegal announced to their people that female genital mutilation would be considered a crime going forward (Shell-Duncan, et al., 2013).

U.S. Foreign Policy Officials can gain support in eliminating female genital mutilation through economic encouragements and deterrents. Given the amount of support that the United States has provided to Senegal, perhaps we would have the ability to sway the government's stance on how female genital mutilation is treated within their country. In order to continue to receive foreign aid, countries could tighten their laws condemning crimes against human rights (Shell-Duncan, et al., 2013).

USFP Efforts to End Female Genital Mutilation

The United States has continuously supported programs that target certain regions of high occurrences of female genital mutilation. Under the 14th Amendment, Congress has the power to seek out 'equal protection, due process, and privileges, and immunities classes with appropriate legislation' through state action (White, 2001). According to the 13th Amendment, slavery and involuntary servitude toward another considered is an act against someone's constitutional right. In America, married women who are abused or sexually harassed, including talk of or performing cuts on the female genitalia, should have been protected by their constitutional rights (White, 2001). The United States has a history of setting a precedence for universal norms throughout the world. These norms should serve as a foundational premise on which to build international guidelines of appropriate behavior and protection of human rights. International legislation, governing the mistreatment and degrading acts toward women, should be created to protect women and children on a global scale, rather than only in select areas of the world (White, 2001).

US Foreign Policy--Outlook on the Future

In the United States, women are covered under the Female Genital Mutilation Act of 1996. According to White (2001), this Act protects children from having female circumcision forced on them by generations before them. This Act also allows women of a certain age the ability to choose whether or not they wish to have this procedure performed on them. At an appropriate age, they are able to decide for themselves and have the opportunity to seek the advice of a medical professional. This Act could set precedence around the world and contribute to the creation of U.S. Foreign Policy relating to universal norms of human rights in the future (White, 2001).

The United States must be respectful in how U.S. Foreign Policy is designed for countries other than our own. The United States must also remember to consider states where an obvious threat may not be...