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Female genital mutilation in India
Johnuniq: for Prevalence of female genital mutilation by country
Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)
Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)
[[Female genital mutilation]] (FGM) is practised in [[India]] by some Islamic groups. The procedure is generally performed when a girl is seven years old and involves the total or partial removal of the [[clitoral hood]]. Consequences of FGM may range from discomfort to [[sepsis]].
== Occurrence ==
FGM is practised by the [[Dawoodi Bohra]], a sect of [[Shia Islam]] with one million members in India.<ref name="Cantera">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> In the community, FGM is performed on six- or seven-year-old girls in a form known as ''khatna'' or ''khafz'' involving the total or partial removal of the clitoral hood.<ref name="PlaguesThousands">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> The spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra, Syedna [[Mufaddal Saifuddin]], has stated that male and female circumcision (respectively ''khatna'' and ''khafz'') are required as "acts of religious purity".<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> The term ''khafd'' is also used to describe the practice.<ref name="Cantera"/> Other Bohra sects including the [[Sulemani Bohras]] and the [[Alavi Bohras]]<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>, as well as some [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] communities in [[Kerala]], are reported as practising FGM.<ref name="Punwani">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
== Supreme Court ==
In May 2017 a [[Public interest litigation in India|public interest litigation]] (PIL) case was raised in India's [[Supreme Court of India|Supreme Court]]. The case was filed by Sunita Tiwari, a lawyer based in [[Delhi]], seeking a ban on FGM in India. The Supreme Court received the petition and sought responses from four states and four ministries of the central government.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
An advocate for the petition claimed the practice violated children's rights under Article 14 (Right to Equality) and Article 21 (Right to Life) of the [[Constitution of India]],<ref name="crime">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> while an advocate opposing the petition argued that ''khafz'' is an essential part of the community's religion, and their right to practise the religion is protected under Articles 25 and 26.<ref name="PlaguesThousands"/>
The Ministry of Women and Child Development reported in December 2017 that "there is no official data or study which supports the existence of FGM in India."<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> Earlier, in May 2017,
Women and Child Development Minister [[Maneka Gandhi]] announced that the government will ban FGM if it is not voluntarily stopped.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In April 2018 India's Attorney General [[K. K. Venugopal]] asked a bench of the Supreme Court to issue directions regarding the case, saying that FGM was already a crime under existing law. The bench adjourned the case and issued notices to Kerala and [[Telangana]], having earlier notified [[Maharashtra]], [[Gujarat]], [[Rajasthan]] and Delhi.<ref name="crime"/>
== Activism ==
In November 2011 a Bohra woman posted an online petition requesting that Syedna [[Mohammed Burhanuddin]], religious leader of the Dawoodi Bohras, ban FGM. A spokesman ruled out any change saying "Bohra women should understand that our religion advocates the procedure and they should follow it without any argument".<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
On 10 December 2016 ([[Human Rights Day]]) a group of Dawoodi Bohra women started an online petition calling for FGM to be banned. A similar petition was conducted by the group a year earlier; that petition was submitted to India's Women and Child Development Minister [[Maneka Gandhi]].<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In an online survey of Bohra women, [[Sahiyo]] found that ''khatna'' had been performed on 80% of participants, with most cut when aged six or seven; 81% wanted the practice to stop.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
Two Mumbai-based groups, Sahiyo and We Speak Out, launched a campaign in February 2016 called "Each One Reach One"; the campaign was repeated during [[Ramadan]] in 2017. The campaign promoted conversations about female genital cutting.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref><ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In December 2016, Dawoodi Bohra women petitioned the United Nations demanding that India be recognised as a country where Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) or Female Genital Cutting (FGC) is practised.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In September 2017, when the 36th regular session of the [[United Nations Human Rights Council]] (UNHRC) was conducting a [[Universal Periodic Review]] of India, a written submission on FGM in India was presented at a side event. That was the first time the issue of FGM in India had been raised at the United Nations.<ref name="Punwani"/><ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref><ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
== Supporters ==
The group Dawoodi Bohra Women for Religious Freedom (DBWRF) was established in May 2017 by six Bohra women to support their "beliefs, customs, culture and religious rights", including their right to practise FGM.<ref name="MohuaDas">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref><ref name="Julios"></ref> The group claims to represent "tens of thousands of Dawoodi Bohra women in India".<ref name="Julios"/> The DBWRF state that female circumcision is a harmless procedure and not mutilation.<ref name="MohuaDas"/> Their mission is to "stand for the rights of Dawoodi Bohra women in India" to ensure they have the same freedom as other citizens.<ref></ref>
In July 2018, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi represented the DBWRF during proceedings in the Supreme Court and stated that "the practice of khafz is an essential part of the religion as practised by Dawoodi Bohra Community and their right to practise and propagate religion is protected under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India."<ref name="PlaguesThousands"/>
== Consequences ==
Dr Meghana Reddy J, a gynaecologist, reported that ''khatna'' can lead to complications in later life including difficult deliveries and urinary infections. In one case a girl had developed sepsis after having had ''khatna'' and great effort had been required to revive her.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>
In conjunction with a small study, the first of its kind in India, twenty Bohra women were examined by Dr Sujaat Vali, an obstetrician and gynaecologist, who reported that only a specialist would be able to separate and cut only the clitoral hood without also cutting the clitoris, and the clitoris had been cut in most cases examined.<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref><ref name="Cantera"/> Dr Sujaat Vali also stated that "Half of them feel some kind of irritation, while 30% either feel discomfort while walking/urinating or have lost sensitivity in the area". The study covered 83 women and 11 men from five Indian states and found that 75% of the respondents' daughters who were at least seven years old had been subjected to FGM.<ref name="Cantera"/>
== References ==
== See also ==
* [[Prevalence of female genital mutilation by country]]
[[Category:Female genital mutilation by country|India]]
[[Category:Women's rights in India]]
November 10, 2018 at 01:07PM
