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[Excision: basis for family stability or cruel ritual?].


 Female circumcision, or excision of the clitoris, is still practiced in many African countries. It does not have any religious significance, but it is a rite of passage from childhood to womanhood, and its function is to distinguish the sexes by the excision of the clitoris, which is the female counterpart of the male penis. The ritual is done in groups of girls aged 12-15 by an old woman and outside of the village; a big celebration follows the rite. Many tribes still consider the excision of the penis as a means to limit the sexual appetities of females, thereby guaranteeing fidelity to an often polygamous husband. Convalescence from the operation lasts 4-6 weeks, during which a girl is instructed about her future role as mother and wife. Consequences of female excision are infection, mainly tetanus, and hemorrhage; they both can lead to death. Other consequences are ugly deformations, mostly by occlusion of the vagina, dyspareunia and frigidity. Opposition to female excision is growing especially in urban areas, but it is still practiced by more than half of the population. Acceleration of female education together with health and sex education would certainly help speed up the eradication of such a barbarous practice.
