Female Genital Mutilation Spreads to Europe, US, with Migration

Growing migration flows have established female genital mutilation in Western countries too in recent years, the head of an international migration agency said on Friday.

"With the growth in migration in recent years, the phenomenon has unfortunately reached Europe (and) the United States," said William Lacy Swing, head of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Circumcision � To Snip or Not to Snip
Circumcision is the removal of a part or the entire foreskin from the penis. It began as a non-religious effort to control masturbation.

In an event to mark the international day of "zero tolerance" to female genital mutilation, Swing highlighted European Parliament estimates of 500,000 circumcised women living in Europe.

The IOM estimates that 100-140 million women and girls have suffered from the traditional practice.

Most of the victims are in Africa, with a few cases in Indonesia and Malaysia, according to the Inter Parliamentary Union, an association of world parliaments.

Circumcision Trials to Prevent HIV � More Hype Than Fact
Circumcision to prevent HIV has been given far more credence than it deserves. Like HIV, in the past circumcision was also advocated for preventing Tuberculosis and cancer.

Nonetheless, it is on the wane in "many African countries" including Burkina Faso, Ghana and Ethiopia, according to African anti-circumcision campaign group CIAF.

"It's torture. Knives are used to cut the most sensitive part of the body," said CIAF head Berhane Ras-Work.

Circumcision Cuts HPV Risk for Both Sexes
Circumcising men reduces the risk of transmitting types of human papilloma virus associated with cervical and anal cancer to women, according to a study published in The Lancet.

Nineteen African and 12 European countries, as well Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, have adopted laws outlawing female genital mutilation.

Source-AFP

Female Genital Mutilation Spreads to Europe, US, With Migration