Transitions to Adulthood
Ishraq Expands Horizons for Girls in Rural Upper
Egypt
The transition from
childhood to adulthood is often considered a time of growth in
opportunities, self-awareness, and knowledge about the world. For girls in
rural Egypt, however, these changes often do not occur. As girls reach
adolescence, their lives becomes increasingly confined to the home, their
opportunities limited to household chores, and their future prospects
restricted to early marriage and childbearing. A comprehensive program in
rural Upper Egypt, known as Ishraq (“enlightenment”), has succeeded in
expanding the horizons of adolescent girls, increasing their knowledge and
self-confidence and promoting their civic engagement. Girls who
participated fully in Ishraq were significantly less likely than other
girls to say they intend to subject their future daughters to female
genital cutting, a common traditional practice in Egypt.
Female Genital Cutting
Potential Data Biases in Studies Exposed
Female
genital cutting (FGC), also known as female circumcision and female
genital mutilation, has been the topic of much research and attention in
the past ten years. Investigators seek to learn the prevalence of the
procedure in a certain area, to ascertain the determinants of the
practice, and to verify the effects of interventions aimed at reducing the
incidence of the custom. Findings from a recent study conducted by the
Population Council, however, suggest that results of such investigations
should be interpreted with caution. Women interviewed about FGC may
falsely deny or falsely confirm having undergone the procedure.
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Santé des femmes
Excision en Afrique de l’Ouest: fréquente et dangereuse
L’excision, aussi appelée mutilations
génitales féminines, c’est-à-dire l’ablation partielle ou totale des
organes génitaux externes de la femme, est pratiquée dans beaucoup
d’endroits du monde: en Afrique, au Moyen Orient, en Asie du Sud-Est et
parmi les populations immigrées d’Australie, Europe et Amérique du Nord.
Bien que les critiques sur la pratique aient déclaré que les complications
gynécologiques et obstétricales survenaient plus fréquemment chez les
femmes excisées que chez les non-excisées, les données étayant cette
assertion ont eu beaucoup de difficultés à voir le jour. Des chercheurs du
Population Council, notamment Heidi Jones, Nafissatou Diop, Ian Askew et
Inoussa Kaboré ont tenté de prendre en charge ce déficit. A cet effet, ils
ont analysé des données obtenues de femmes au Burkina Faso et au Mali.
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