How common is female circumcision in Egypt?

Question

I can't find new statistics on this:How common is female circumcision in Egypt?

Thank you Zoser. I could not find any recent stats on that. I would be interested to know your source. Thanks for taking the time to find the info.

It is as serious as a heart attack.
Makes sex nothing at best, at worst painful and risky as to infections from irritation.
And it is cruel and sometimes deadly.

Answer 1

I can't add anything as the statistics have already been given by other answerers, but I have to agree with halawa. This is disgusting, monstrous and inhumane. Any father who does that to his daughter should have his balls removed himself, and let's see how he leads his life after that. What horrifies me more is the fact that mothers too are doing this unspeakable act to their own daughters. It's an abomination that primitive sexist attitudes in a patriarchal society reach to an extent that would mutilate females at the risk of their death rather than have them enjoy a normal natural life. The idiots who see females as nothing but sexual objects are the ones who should be completely neutered like the animals they are.

I used to think that this disgusting habit was only found among lower classes and illiterate people in rural areas because I never knew anyone who would do such a horrendous act to their daughters. However, I was recently horrified to find that some of my friends who come from social backgrounds that are supposedly enlightened and with educated parents have suffered this atrocity as well. I was shocked beyond words and was moved to tears with their sorrow and anger. However, the only bright side is that despite being victims of this monstrous disgusting tradition which really has nothing whatsoever to do with religion, they have vowed never to subject their own daughters to this. So hopefully, the chain will be broken somewhere,

Answer 2

According to my humble knowledge all the numbers by most organizations are completely away from the real facts.

This tradition is practiced in rural areas and villages. It's very low in big cities and the capital which means very low practiced among more than 20% of population, so you can imagine that 97% is away from the truth.

In most areas and cases of circumcision physical checking is not available unless there is a problem. The 97% is a result of samples which is not really representing the real percentage.

The non accurate numbers and percentages in each area is part of the problem in the villages and rural areas, that's why most plans are not working well. It's all theoratical plans.

This nature of this very old tradition is coming from the nature of humans in rural areas and deep in Africa or Asia where you can find many cases of bigger organs. That means bigger than usual and it's the cuase of other problems. With time and people living in the rural areas moved, this tradition moved and they try to apply it on all females.

May be it's not the only reason, but this is what I found about it. In case some people can't accept this information, they may keep stuck to their one way source, it's more easy.

Edit : A better idea to know how common is to ask females here if they are circumcised or not. When you get the results, please let me know the percentage.

Answer 3

In 2005, UNICEF estimated the prevalence at 97% (for women ages 15-49). The lowest estimated prevalence I've ever seen in 89%. As others have said, it's now illegal in Egypt--Egypt's Ministry of Health and Population has banned all forms of female genital cutting since 2007--so perhaps the prevalence will continue to go down. And yeah, it's more of a lower class thing than upper or middle class. It doesn't have any roots in Islam and is forbidden by all the Islamic schools of thought except the Shafii.

Answer 4

They banned female genital mutilation ten years ago, but it was still practiced; they recently issued a "complete" ban on it. The old ban allowed it if performed by a doctor (!).

Recent studies have shown that some 90% of Egyptian women have been circumcised. It is believed to be part of an ancient Egyptian rite of passage and is more common in rural areas.

Answer 5

The Ministry of Health issued a decree in 1996 declaring female circumcision unlawful and punishable under the Penal Code, and according to UNICEF the prevalence of women who have had this procedure has slowly declining from a baseline of 97% of women aged 15-49 since 1995,,, no real enforcement to the law took place till recently
The highest Egyptian religious authority (El mofti)objects the circumcision of the females and describe it as against the religion and abrutal crime to women ,,,

On June 28, 2007 Egypt banned female genital cutting after the death of 12-year old Badour Shaker during a genital circumcision. The Guardian of Britain reported that her death "sparked widespread condemnation" of the practice.
A 2005 study found that over 95% of Egyptian women have been victims of Female Genital Mutilation

78-97% prevalence, Type I, II and III

Type I: Clitoridectomy:Clitoridectomy involves the removal or splitting of the clitoral hood,

Type II: Excision removal of the prepuce and the clitoris plus the partial or total removal of the labia minora, the inner lips of the vulva,

Type III: Infibulation :Infibulation involves extensive tissue removal of the external genitalia, including all of the labia minora and the inside of the labia majora, leaving a raw open wound.

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EDIT : VERY Important: 28/sep 2007 Cairo , Egypt , ministry of Health and population :

Center of motherhood , childhood, after a study was done by the center, it is found that in the year 2006/2007 the number of school girls aged between 10-18 year old who was subjected to this practice is decreased this year to 50.3% . Ref. National news paper/Ahram/ al akhbar ( The neutrality of this news is disputed.)

Those are the educated ones (school girls) , Knowingk that the literacy in Egypt for age 15 and over who can not read and write is 71% (2005) (females 60% not in school ) that means 50.3 %of the 40% of the educaated ones are subjected to Circumcision....so what do you think ABOUT the non educated ones??

Answer 6

I'm a doctor and I completely agree with zoser , this is what is happening , and after the ban , doctors at rural areas are getting paid huge deals of money to do the cutting supported by all the local officials who belong to the same culture .

Answer 7

Im sorry to answer your question with a question.. but what is going on here is this real seriously... why would they do this to a woman? I really dont understand right now... 97%?? Zoser maybe you can enlighten me..plsss

edit: ok zoser i read your other answer on yahoo and you keep saying women women.... so is it ok in egypt for a man to have sex but not a woman? why dont they cut the mans balls off and take his testosteron away so he wont have a desire for sex? Im very confused? this cant be happing I seriously want to throw up now.

Answer 8

http://arabist.net/archives/2006/06/03/new-study-on-fgm/

Answer 9

you cannot physically circumsize a woman becaues there is no head of of skin on a penis on a woman.

you may be thinking of some ancient culture where they remove the clitoris because theyre freaks and sexists and believe woman shouldnt feel pleasure. no idea where or when they do/did that but ive heard of it

Answer 10

Ummmmm..... I think you are confused.......