It is unfortunate that archaic traditions still proliferate in many parts of the world despite how much more socially progressive and politically conscious its inhabitants have become. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a procedure often performed to ‘prepare’ girls for adulthood and marriage. You may ask: what exactly are the health benefits of such a…
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The power that parents have over their children is not always wielded in a benevolent manner; how many of us have looked through old family photos to find that, when we were too young to know better or even protest, we were dressed in the most embarrassing outfits by our parents? For instance, a glimpse…
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It is a murky practice that is rarely discussed within its own culture, let alone outside it. Khadija Gbla is a nationally recognised spokesperson and survivor of Female Genital Mutilation. ‘I didn’t even know what Female Genital Mutilation was growing up, I never heard of it being spoken of,’ Khadija says. Khadija, aged 27, was…
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*Trigger warning: descriptions of female genital mutilation* On Saturday 11 October I went to TEDx Canberra, a conference, like all TED conferences, dedicated to the sharing of ideas. I was particularly impressed that just over half of the presenters at TEDx Canberra this year were women. What I found most impressive about it was the…
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Young women who are or may become victims of female genital mutilation can now find 24-hour support via a helpline, the Independent reported this week. The project, launched by the children’s charity NSPCC, is the first of its kind in the U.K. The procedure, which involves partial or complete removal of the external female…
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