Prohibited Sexual Behavior and Sexual Violence

Sexual Violence: Mutilation of Female Sex Organs: Prevention

The various justifications given for the practice of mutilating female sex organs are often interrelated. Thus, there is usually a combination of several reasons why the practice is being defended. One or two of these reasons may carry special weight in one community, but not necessarily in another where the cultural traditions and priorities are different.
It follows from this observation that there is no single method of ending or preventing the practice. It is not enough to denounce it as a human rights violation and to register some general disapproval. It is even less promising to try to legislate it out of existence. Indeed, people committed to preventing this type of sexual violence have learned the hard way that they must first understand the cultural context in which it takes place. Only then can they enlist the most effective local agents of change. Together with them, they can devise successful policies and work for their common goal.
This does not mean that a clear statement of principle is superfluous. On the contrary, it is always a necessary first step. Many international organizations have therefore taken this step and officially condemned the traditional mutilation of female sex organs. The following section lists only a few of them.