Women’s attitudes towards discontinuation of female genital mutilation in Egypt
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Date
2010
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of injury and violence research
Abstract
To examine women’s attitude towards discontinuation of female genital mutilation
(FGM) in association with their access to information, knowledge of health effects and cultural
beliefs concerning FGM in Egypt.
Methods: A cross-sectional study of 9159 women, using data from the household survey in Egypt
by Demographic and Health survey 2003. A comprehensive questionnaire covering attitudes
towards FGM, demographics, and access to information was used. Chi-square analysis and
logistic regression were applied to investigate how demographics, level of education, access to
information, knowledge of health consequences and cultural beliefs influence women’s attitudes
towards FGM.
Results: Among the demographic variables, discontinuation of FGM was independently
associated with urban residency and post-secondary education. Moreover, women who were
informed by the media, and those who had attended community meetings, church, or mosque
where FGM was discussed, as well as women who were aware of the negative health
consequences of FGM, were more likely to support discontinuation of FGM. By contrast, women
with positive cultural conceptions of FGM were less likely to favor its discontinuation.
Conclusions: Public education and information dissemination aiming to change current cultural
notions favoring FGM practice – through community and religious leaders, and radio and
television programs – may play an important role in modifying women’s attitudes towards FGM.
These findings have some implications for intervention and policy.
Description
Keywords
Female genital mutilation, Attitude, Violence against women, Egypt
Citation
Dalal, K., Lawoko, S., & Jansson, B. (2010). Women’s attitudes towards discontinuation of female genital mutilation in Egypt. Journal of injury and violence research, 2(1), 41. doi: 10.5249/jivr.v2i1.33