Female genital cutting: a philosophical exposition.

Female genital cutting as practiced in most African countries has attracted wide condemnation. This practice involves partial or total removal of the external female genital organ for nonmedical reasons. Consequently, it causes damage to healthy or normal genital tissue and thus, interferes with the natural function of the girls or woman's body. Female genital cutting is usually carried out on girls within the ages of 10 and 22 years old. Most health experts attribute so many infections suffered by women of child bearing age to it. Also, barrenness, excessive bleeding during child birth or delivery is sometimes blamed on female genital cutting. A lot of infections including HIV have been associated with this cruel practice. It is the position of this paper that, such act is barbaric, and a violation of the human rights of the girl child and womanhood. Therefore, it should in all quarters be discouraged and possibly stopped because it violates a person's right to health, freedom from torture and security, and integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]