Egyptian authorities have arrested a father and a retired nurse for carrying out female genital mutilation on a 15-year-old. The arrest is being heralded by some as a sign that, at long last, the country is cracking-down on the barbaric act.
The crime came to the attention of authorities after it was reported by a doctor working at a hospital around 35km outside of the Egyptian capital Cairo. It is believed that the girl was taken to the hospital after the FGM was carried out due to severe bleeding.
FGM has been carried out on approximately 90% of girls aged over 15 in Egypt. The practice was outlawed in 2008 and the Egyptian government is thought to be looking to increase the penalty for FGM to 20 years in prison, an increase from the current penalty of 7 years.
Sabry Osman, who runs a helpline designed to protect children, told reporters:
"The surgery was done at home and when the girl had severe bleeding, the father transported her to a nearby hospital. We followed up the case until the girl went out of hospital and returned home. We are now in the process of offering the girl the psychological support that she needs after going through this incident."
Speaking of the case, Brendan Wynne of the Five Foundation, which works to stamp out FGM, said:
"When an Egyptian girl died from FGM in a high profile case in 2013, the police were very slow to arrest anyone. The fact the police have acted in a day is a hopeful sign that the authorities are now taking this much more seriously."
Despite the new laws, it is thought that the practice is still widely carried out. Dangers include infection, severe bleeding, and reproductive and sexual problems. The procedure also carries deep psychological trauma, which can affect a woman for the rest of their life.
Leaders have vowed to stamp out FGM globally by the year 2030 and have been pushing for information campaigns that highlight the dangers involved. They are also pushing for people to speak out against the practice, and for harsher sentences to be imposed on those that do break the law.
Maya Morsi, head of the National Council for Women in Egypt, noted:
"I do not understand the insistence of some families to carry out this crime against their children ... which often leads to death."
[h/t: Global Citizen]
COMMENTS