Egypt bans female genital mutilation

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Conservatives are strongly opposing amendments to a child law, which would see female circumcision banned in Egypt.

CAIRO // Mohammed al Omda, a conservative parliamentarian, protested outside Egypt's parliament last week with his three daughters against amendments to the child law, which among other things would ban female circumcision. He and other conservatives said the amendments are a violation of Islamic law and Egyptian traditions. "No to banning female circumcision," read a banner carried by one of his daughters, while the others held up signs reading: "No to imported legislation" and "It's alarming - allowing what is religiously forbidden, and banning what is allowed by religion." Mr Omda, from the Constitutional Party, told parliament last week that he already had two of his three daughters circumcised. Such conservatism is a cause of consternation among Egyptian liberals and secularists who worry about the safety of girls. "It's a very anti-woman climate," said Dalal al Bizri, a sociologist and columnist with Al Hayat, the pan-Arab daily newspaper. "Things have deteriorated to the extent that some women are now proudly defending practices" that suppress them. The amendments, passed on Saturday, add a new clause to Article 7 of a law passed in 1997 that said only doctors could perform the operation in "exceptional circumstances". Anyone found guilty of conducting such operations would be subject to a prison sentence of up to two years and a fine of up to 5,000 Egyptian pounds (Dh3,440). The new legislation allows for circumcision in cases of "medical necessity", which some said might undermine the ban. The writing and passing of the amendment followed the death of a 12-year-old girl during a circumcision procedure last year, which sparked a public outcry and prompted health and religious authorities to ban the practice. But criminalising genital mutilation is only one of several amendments to the law that have raised controversy. One amendment raises the minimum age of marriage for girls to 18 from 16 while another punishes parents with a six-month prison sentence for corporal punishment of their children. That amendment also passed on Saturday. Muslim Brotherhood members, along with independent MPs, opposed the amendments. They regarded them as a "foreign tool" that would prevent parents from properly raising their children. "The child law seems to be aimed at providing mercy and serving the children's interest," said Hussein Ibrahim, a spokesman for the Brotherhood bloc. "But in reality it contains misery and destroys the Egyptian family. Why are they increasing the marriage age for girls when we have more than nine million unmarried youths? This is the problem that they should concentrate on solving, not adding to it." Opponents of the amendments had proposed home-grown solutions to child-rearing issues, suggesting, for instance, that female circumcision be conducted in a safer manner rather than putting into place an outright ban. The process involves the removal of the clitoris and other parts of the external genitalia. Those who support it say it reduces a girl's sexual desire and maintains her honour. A 2003 survey by Unicef said that 97 per cent of married women in Egypt have undergone the operation, and a recent study by Egypt's ministry of health and population found that 50.3 per cent of girls between the ages of 10 and 18 have been genitally mutilated. It is practised by both Muslims and Christians. The practice has been known to cause haemorrhaging and can cause complications during childbirth. Risks of infection, urinary tract problems and mental stress are also linked to genital mutilation. "It's a traumatic experience that I will never forget until I die," said Zeinab, a grandmother in her seventies, who gave only her first name. Such strong opposition to the amendments - especially labelling them as "foreign" - came as no surprise to those who supported them. "This primitive animosity towards the West has been transformed into a citadel to defend outrageous elements of weakness and humiliation in our societies," said Ms Bizri, the sociologist. There is no particular Islamic text that says female circumcision is a religious duty. Religious clerics, however, including the sheikhs of Al Azhar, the highest seat in Sunni Islam, have issued a variety of contradictory fatwas both permitting and forbidding female circumcision. There was no opposition, however, to amendments to the child law that were aimed at combatting the growing phenomenon of homeless children, who number about two million. Also, an amendment to Article 20 still before parliament would allow illegitimate children to have birth certificates issued in their mother's name and a virtual father's name, giving them access to such benefits as health care and education. Opponents said this would encourage sex outside marriage. Previously, the father's approval was necessary to issue a birth certificate. Zeinab Radwan, a professor of Islamic philosophy and the deputy speaker in parliament, said some of the amendments were sent back to the legislative committee for rewriting before being voted on, but insisted no major changes were made. "All the articles will pass at the end," she said. "The controversial and non-controversial." <a href="mailto:nmagd@thenational.ae">nmagd@thenational.ae</a>

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