Friday, May 27, 2011

How does FGM & Routine Infant Circumcision compare?

The World Health Organisation definition of FGM is found below with my additions in bold contrasting Routine Infant Male Circumcision.  Note: Degree of severity and comparing the 2 is not discussed in any detail here, but rather the general principles.  For the Record = Some forms of FGM are more severe than infant circumcision, and infant circumcision is more severe than the least invasive forms of FGM.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Routine Male Infant circumcision comprises the total removal of the male foreskin which has 20,000 pleasure nerves, for non-medical reasons as the foreskin is a normal part of the male sexual anatomy and at birth there is no therapeutic need for its removal.
The practice is mostly carried out by traditional circumcisers, who often play other central roles in communities, such as attending childbirths. Increasingly, however, FGM is being performed by health care providers. In religious routine male infant circumcisions traditional circumcisers such as mohel's carry out the procedure however in countries like the USA health care providers predominantly perform it.
FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. Increasingly infant male circumcision is being seen as a violation of the human rights of boys and men.  It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. It is nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children. Routine infant circumcision is always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children. The practice also violates a person's rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death. The practice also violates a a male persons rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death.  Male infant circumcision has many complications with it, and including penile amputation, and the recorded deaths of many male infants and children.

 

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