Rituals under debate. A culturally sensitive approach against FGM/C

Abstract

Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) has been practiced for thousands of years, but it is only recently that international organizations have committed to its eradication. Migration and growing awareness in the West have transformed a local concern into a global issue, turning what was once considered a traditional practice into a major human rights violation. Despite extensive discourse on cultural relativism, human rights, sexuality, and patriarchal oppression of women over the past decades, FGM/C remains widespread with more than three million girls at risk of being cut each year. Starting by understanding how FGM/C is currently framed and its significance for the practicing communities, this thesis aims to critically analyse the strategies and rhetoric used by the international human rights framework to counteract FGM/C in order to identify the most effective approach. An examination of the current zero-tolerance policy reveals that a radically condemning approach and straightforward criminalization often prove counterproductive, reinforcing FGM/C as a form of protest against Western intervention. The thesis suggests that a more culturally sensitive approach, which takes into consideration the cultural and religious concerns of immigrants, could be a more effective solution to end these deeply rooted practices.