Graubünden Italian - Even if the media did not pay due attention to the phenomenon of infibulation, the practice is assuming alarming proportions in Europe, where it was imported by immigrants from from different regions of Africa. The Swiss Confederation is not immune from the phenomenon of female: UNICEF, for example, some years ago estimated the presence of 6700 circumcised women in Switzerland. To understand this phenomenon and especially to learn to use the right words to make a constructive dialogue between those who oppose all'infibulazione and who, instead, practice and protection, we speak with a scholar Swiss cultural anthropologist Michael Nussio (1), that this phenomenon has also devoted his attention recently.
Dr. Nussio, what is meant by "female circumcision" and what, instead, the term "female circumcision"?
With "female circumcision" are various forms of the practice of female genital lesions ranging from simple to serious injury, by removing and sewing. The most extreme form is infibulation. In English we talk about "Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), but I prefer not to use the term" mutilation "but" circumcision. "
Why?
The term "mutilation" gives the impression of a form of violence that is the basis of this cultural practice.
According to her, because female circumcision is seen as important in social groups that carry it?
The reasons are manifold. It should be noted that where this occurs becomes the norm and is perceived as such. Adjectives like "brutal" or "uncivilized" to describe the practice or who should implement do not help to understand and resolve the issue. Women are often at work, women themselves are circumcised. They are mothers, grandmothers, elderly who do craft ...
How to understand all this?
In this context it becomes, as already mentioned, normal, right, indispensable. Sometimes the social pressure is strong enough to prevent you from doing otherwise. Female circumcision can be practiced within certain ethnic groups and thus becomes a distinctive sign of identity. Do not be circumcised may result in stigma, with all the consequences that this entails; not be able to marry is one example among many. You may also have connotations of initiation, to mark the passage from one phase to another and to emphasize, therefore, entry into the world of women with a new status. It takes place also for aesthetic reasons or to improve the health status. Also important is the question sexual. As for female circumcision is said to be often related to the nomadic polygamous, and it is important to avoid a cheating husband. In some cases, moreover, infibulation become a test of virginity. You could see, in some cases, this control the sexuality of women, woman holding the power to give birth to children, very important in society.
In which regions is practiced infibulation?
Female circumcision is practiced in Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan. In other countries there are other forms of circumcision female within the same country can live together but different forms. The World Health Organization provides the following data regarding the percentage of women between 15 and 49 circumcised: Benin 17%, 72% Burkina Faso, Cameroon 1%, 45% Chad, Côte d'Ivoire 42%, Djibouti 93% , Egypt 96%, Eritrea 89%, 74% Ethiopia, Gambia 78%, Ghana 4% and 96% Guinea, Guinea-Bissau 44%, Kenya 32%, Liberia 45%, Mali 91%, 71%, Mauritania, Niger 2% , Nigeria 19%, Oman (no data), Central African Republic 26%, Democratic Republic of Congo 5%, Senegal 28%, 98% of Sierra Leone, Somalia 97% Sudan 90%, Tanzania 14%, 6 Togo, Uganda 1%, Yemen 23%. It is currently practiced in some Western countries, the destination of many immigrants, such as Europe, Australia and the United States.
Many believe that female circumcision is practiced only by Muslims. It 's so or there are other religious groups who perform it?
is present in some African Muslims, Copts in Egypt and northern Sudan, the Ethiopian Jews in Israel, Ethiopian Jews, and animists in some people with no religion. As for Islam, there is no text that is clearly stated that the practice should take place. Female circumcision was born well before Islam. It is mentioned in a sunna, but the message non è chiaro e quindi viene praticata secondo l’interpretazione. Dal punto di vista legale è proibita in quanto la Sharia afferma che l’integrità del corpo deve essere garantita. È una pratica culturale che è tradizionale e non religiosa. Lo dimostra il fatto che sia presente prevalentemente in Africa. Interventi sui genitali femminili si riscontrano però anche in altri luoghi e in altri tempi, anche in Europa, e non tanto tempo fa.
Secondo lei, la cultura tipica di un gruppo etnico che pratica la circoncisione femminile, ha la stessa "dignità" di una cultura - come ad esempio quella europea - che invece "condanna" le circoncisioni definendole mutilazioni?
Sì. Io credo che every culture and every society, has the same dignity. Place the cultures on a scale of values \u200b\u200bis racism. Of cultural anthropology is that he no longer practiced this type of assessment, which, unfortunately, still common place in man. I believe that, although may be of importance in the group that puts in place, you can order individual cultural practices, it will. But we must also remember to look within their own group. The surgeries that many western women - but men undergo-to appear more beautiful, for those who are the standards of beauty in our society, are also in this direction.
Based on the hours you said, how does the position of scholars who argue that female circumcision can not be challenged because it is very important within the social group that is given?
The most extreme cultural relativism states that a cultural practice like the one in question should not be challenged because all cultures and therefore its products must be respected. Universalism, by contrast, argues that there are values \u200b\u200bto be applied to all. It is understandable, however, that not everyone has the same way of looking at certain values. It follows that it is difficult to implement certain human rights. Rimane però importante ricordare che si sta parlando di sofferenza. È una pratica che causa dei problemi alla salute, che causa dolore e nei casi più estremi anche morte, aspetti sui quali può essere più semplice far leva. Parlare di sessualità, di integrità del corpo o altro, può risultare più complicato.
In generale, quali sono i valori - salute, rispetto per la vita, libertà di pensiero, ecc. - che i gruppi che praticano le circoncisioni femminili hanno in comune con gli europei?
Ogni gruppo ha i suoi valori che all’interno di questo vengono considerati importanti. Fare dei paragoni tra Paesi lontani, in cui regnano culture diverse, è un compito molto arduo, se non impossibile. In quanto a salute, rispetto per la vita e libertà di pensiero, credo che esistano anche in Europa dei Paesi in cui a molte persone, non sono totalmente concessi. La malasanità di certi Paesi o l’ambiente lavorativo in cui certi operai sono obbligati a lavorare, ne sono un esempio.
Quali sono gli aspetti che ritiene interessanti in merito alla lotta portata avanti dalle donne locali per bandire la circoncisione femminile?
Credo che le donne locali possano contribuire a provocare dei cambiamenti, in quanto conoscitrici della loro cultura, in quanto, se attiviste, convinte. Ciò non toglie che degli ulteriori aiuti esterni possano donare dei frutti.
L'infibulazione viene praticata clandestinamente anche in Europa. Riguardo alla Confederazione Elvetica quali dati lei dispone sulle mutilazioni genitali femminili?
L’Unicef stimava, alcuni anni fa, la presenza di 6700 donne circoncise in Svizzera. A livello mondiale si parla di 100-140 milioni.
Quali possono essere - secondo lei - i pro e i contro di una eventuale legalizzazione della circoncisione femminile in Europa?
Da un lato si potrebbe garantire la libertà di esprimere la propria cultura, sotto forma di pratica culturale, a chi la considera importante. Nei nostri Paesi, tuttavia, la circoncisione femminile è considerata illegale. Alcuni Paesi hanno creato delle leggi apposite, altre la considerano una serious bodily injury. This is an issue around which revolve several ethical aspects: on the one hand we can ask who has the right to say what is the right thing, the other is to avoid suffering.
In conclusion, what is your opinion - as a woman and as an anthropologist - the phenomenon of mutilation?
understand the internal logic of the groups that practice and respect, but I do not accept a practice that causes suffering. This is not just about distant countries, but also ours. When a human being is subjected to cultural practices that cause suffering, I believe that everyone has the right to say their opinion on the matter. It is important to know the cultural context to understand, it is important to know all the ethical, but it is also important to take a stand. Go find a proper balance between cultural relativism and universality. It should be understood the culture of a society without a label it as something barbaric, but is nevertheless necessary to give a scale - through human rights - with which to measure. Relativism, then, to understand, universalism to discuss, talk, limit. The combination of the two approaches can perhaps provide an important new perspective to change the situation. I believe that even in our countries, however, there should be a lot more information and awareness, especially for those who work directly with immigrants. In different regions of Africa there have been changes, up to even the abandonment of the practice. History tells us that different cultural practices on the body, for their harm, have been abandoned. I hope this can happen even with female circumcision. (Edited by Charles Silvano, carlo.silvano @ poste.it)
(1) Nussio Michael holds a degree in anthropology at the University of Bologna. He published the essay "Puschlav: an alpine valley in the world", in "A Memory for migrants" by C. Silvano, GM editor 2007, pp. 67-83.
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