Focus on Female Genital Mutilation and Women’s Reproductive Health
A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Women's Health".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2023) | Viewed by 3619
Special Issue Editors
Interests: female genital mutilation; breast reconstruction; breast cancer; microsurgery; aesthetic surgery; reconstructive plastic surgery; gender alignment
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Female genital mutilation, or cutting, is considered to be a human right violation and a crime in several high- and low-prevalence countries. However, according to the WHO and UNICEF, more than 200 million women and girls are estimated to live with it, and an estimated 3 million are at risk annually. Despite many prevention efforts, including legally banning the practice in many countries, the effect is outweighed by the rapidly growing population, leaving an increasing amount of girls subjected to this treatment. A particularly concerning development is the increasing involvement of trained healthcare providers in performing FGM, known as the medicalization of FGM.
Maintaining the practice is grounded in complex socio-cultural roots and a lack of knowledge concerning the physical, psychological and health-related consequences of FGM. Therefore, parents and families deciding against cutting their daughters or women embarking on de-infibulation or reconstructive surgery are facing specific challenges in their peer community, not only in their homeland, but in their countries of immigration as well. Moreover, evidence on the specific needs and appropriate conservative or surgical measures to meet the demand of women and girls is scarce.
To improve care and work towards a change in behavior and attitude, it is vital to inform health providers about the context, experience, and views of different settings and communities. In addition to this background, women and girls after migration and/or flight have often experienced multiple traumas and violent events different from FGM, and face a considerable change in the perception of FGM.
Health systems must be enabled to adapt to this complex situation and tailor their care according to the requirements of women and girls without overburdening them or offering treatments that mirror biased perspectives.
This Special Issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) focuses on the current state of knowledge and practice in both countries of high prevalence and countries of migration. Papers addressing these topics are invited for submission, especially those combining academic standards with a practical view on current approaches. Other manuscripts accepted include epidemiological studies as well as basic research, position papers, and commentaries.
Dr. Uwe Von Fritschen
Dr. Jasmine Abdulcadir
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- FGM
- female genital mutilation
- reconstruction
- sexual counseling
- epidemiology
