HARMFUL TRADITIONAL PRACTICES IN AFRICA #Female genital mutilation

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In Africa, there are a whole lot of traditional practices, some being good such as festivals, marriage ceremonies, naming ceremonies among others. There are also harmful traditional practices in Africa which is a threat to the health of humans especially females. They are mostly affected.

Traditions are long established patterns of actions or behaviours, often handed down within a community over many generations.
These customs are based on beliefs and values held by the community. Traditions are often protected by taboos, which are strong social prohibitions related to human activities and social custom based on moral judgement and religious beliefs.
This means that traditions are not easy to change, because people adhere to this pattern of behaviour, believing that they are right things to do.
Ghana has both beneficial practices such as breastfeeding, giving nutritious diet to newly delivered mothers and relieving mothers from work after delivery.
Harmful traditional practices are those customs that are known to have bad effect on the health of the people.
Harmful tradition practices affecting the young people of Africa are common. Among these,
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM),
Early marriage,
Ritual servitude (Trokosi)
Widowhood rite
Use of harmful vaginal preparations

Today we are going to talk about Female Genital Mutilation and the remaining will be treated in my subsequent posts.

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The WHO defines FGM also female genital cutting or female circumcision as any procedures which involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or which causes any other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural or other non-therapeutic reason.
A global review of FGM shows that the custom of FGM is known to be practiced in one form or another in more than 30 countries in Africa including Ghana, but has recently been recognized as practice that can lead to serious health hazards in women and girls. Female Genital Mutilation, are mostly carried out on young girls sometimes between infancy and adolescence, and occasionally on adult women.

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Tools used for the practice
knives, scissors, razors and pieces of glass. In the olden days’ sharp stones were used.

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Types of Female Genital Mutilation
There are three types of FGM recognized under the World Health Organization (WHO Media Center):
1. Clitoridectomy (Type I): The entire or partial removal of the clitoris.
2. Excision (Type II): The clitoris and all or part of the labia minora are removed.
3. Infibulation (Type III): The
clitoris and labia minora are removed, and the labia majora is stitched together to cover the urethral and vaginal entrances, while a new hole is created to allow the passage of urine and
menstrual blood.

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Reasons given for practicing FGM
-To maintain the moral behavior of women in the society
-To preserve virginity
-For hygienic reasons
-To ‘calm’ a girl and make her decent
-Religious requirement
-Aesthetic reasons
-To avoid difficulty during delivery

Impact of FGM on females
Physical Consequences : These complications are divided into immediate and delayed complications.
Immediate complications are those which arise soon (in few seconds) or within a few days of the procedure:
-Hemorrhage
-Shock
-Severe pain
-Damage to the nearby urinary -
structures
-Death

Late complications are those that occur later on in life:
-Heavy scarring
-Recurrent urinary tract infection
-HIV/AIDS
-Obstructed labor and other - obstetric complications

Psychological Consequences
-Lack of sexual desire and/or satisfaction
-Fear of sexual intercourse
-Lack of self-confidence (low self-esteem)

Some Statistics

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Measures taken against FGM
-Educating the community about the risks and consequences of FGM through available channels of communication, also its role in the transmission of HIV.
-Involving religious and other influential leaders of the community, TBAs and circumcisers in educating the public about this issue.
-Strongly encouraging the government to be critically committed to making the laws more strict and to develop ENFORCEMENT strategies.
-Improving the availability, accessibility and quality of modern health services.

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I am a health educator by profession and I preach against female Genital Mutilation(FGM).

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