Female Genital Mutilation: How one mother came to reject an ancient tradition
By Tiziana Barrucci June 2005 “The women came to my home early in the morning. They got hold of me and forced me to lie down. My hands and legs were held firmly and I could hardly move. They then spread my legs and the daya (village midwife) started cutting. The pain was excruciating, and I was screaming uncontrollably”. Naglaa’s black eyes burn not with shame but something quite different: a kind of pride and self-assurance, fueled, perhaps, by memories of the horrific, life-changing experience that she went through many years ago. “The daya continued cutting for what seemed like an eternity," she continues. "I don’t remember how long it took, but I never imagined that I could experience such unbearable pain”. Naglaa was circumcised at the age of 11. She willingly volunteered for a procedure which -- in much of Egyptian society -- is culturally accepted and often encouraged. Her family told her it was her moral duty and the only way for her to become a real woman. “The day before it happened, I went to collect ashes from an oven. People told me the ashes would help heal my wound, and I wanted to play a part myself in this important milestone in my life.” A few days after the circumcision, Naglaa found out that the ashes had not healed her wounds. Instead, infection had set in.
Not for her daughter Today, Naglaa is 26, married, and has an eight year old daughter, Mona. Until last July, Nagla believed she had no option but to subject Mona to the same painful practice she herself suffered. She thought that it was a necessary requirement in order for a girl to be accepted in marriage without stigma. Then Naglaa's mother convinced her to attend a workshop on female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) in Alexandria. She heard religious leaders, doctors and other professionals from NGOs discussing the complex implications of FGM/C and its different physical and physiological consequences. The religious leaders convinced her that there was no justification in the Quran for the practice. “From now on, I will never care about what people say about my non-circumcised daughter,” says Naglaa resolutely. “Because of my decision, she will avoid a lifetime of suffering. She will lead a healthier life than either her grandmother or me." "If a man will repudiate her because she isn’t circumcised, I’ll stand by her side. A girl doesn’t become a prostitute because she has not undergone the cutting. If a mother loves her daughter, she must care about her education and her health more than anything else. This is why I became involved in the FGM Abandonment Program.”
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