Intention toward the continuation of female genital mutilation in Bale Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

BackgroundFemale genital mutilation (FGM) is a harmful traditional practice that is deeply rooted in Africa. It is associated with health complications and human rights violations. Research on intention for the continuation of FGM and the social determinants underpinning this practice are scarce. Therefore, this study intended to assess the intention of women toward the continuation of FGM among Bale Zone reproductive-age women.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study design supplemented by qualitative methods was conducted in 2014. A total of 634 reproductive-age women were involved in the quantitative part of the study. The respondents were drawn from five randomly selected districts of Bale Zone. The total sample was allocated proportionally to each district based on the number of reproductive-age women it has. Purposive sampling method was used for qualitative study. Then, data were collected using a pretested and structured questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences for Windows version 16.0. Multiple logistic regressions were carried out to examine the existence of a relationship between intentions for the continuation of FGM and selected determinant factors.ResultsThis study revealed that 26.7% of the respondents had intention for the continuation of FGM. Religion, safeguarding virginity, tradition, and social values were the major reasons for the perpetuation of this practice. Circumcised respondents and those who were not able to read and write were ~3 (adjusted odds ratio = 2.89, 95% confidence interval = [1.33, 6.20]) and 7.58 (adjusted odds ratio = 7.58, 95% confidence interval = [3.47, 16.54]) times more likely intending the continuation of FGM than uncircumcised and those who attended secondary-level education and above, respectively.ConclusionThe study shows that the intention toward the persistence of the practice is high in Bale Zone. Rural residents, those who were not able to read and write, and circumcised respondents were more likely to continue the practice.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice among mothers towards female circumcision Ombada province Khartoum state, Sudan

“…These were matching with reasons found by Bogale et al; 2015 who conduct a community based cross sectional study among reproductive age women revels the main reasons of FGM was to get married, to get social acceptance, to safeguard virginity, and religious recommendations. 21 Another study by the same authors in 2014 showed the main reason of FGM was religion, safeguarding virginity, tradition, and social values were the major reasons for the perpetuation of this practice. 22 While (125.%) of mothers did not practicing female circumcision, because it is harmful practice (78.1%), no religious origin (12.5%) and affect girls education (9.6%), This is results lower than findings reported by Bogale et al in 2014 who report 26.7% of the respondents had intention for the continuation of FGM.…”

Attitude towards the Practice of Female Genital Cutting among School Boys and Girls in Somali and Harari Regions, Eastern Ethiopia

“…The practice may be linked to maternal mortality in Ethiopia and it is considered as one of the major national problems affecting the socioeconomic development of the country [15]. Although the true magnitude of the problem and the nature of the successful interventions is not yet known in Ethiopia, there has been a drop in the prevalence rate over a relatively short time from 80 percent in 2000 to 74.3 in 2005 [14].…”

“…An explorative study about the continuation of FGC in Bale Zone revealed that 26.7% of the respondents had an intention for the continuation of FGC. Religion, safeguarding virginity, tradition, and social values were the major reasons for the continuation of the practice [15, 19]. Another study in Ethiopia revealed that the uncircumcised females and those who attended secondary-level education and above were not intended to continue the practice compared to those who were not able to read and write and circumcised females [15].…”

Female genital mutilation

“…Another study revealed that 26.7% of the respondents had intention for the continuation of FGM. Religion, safeguarding virginity, tradition, and social values were the major reasons for the perpetuation of this practice [9]. Further study shows Prevalence of female genital mutilation among Muslim Kurdish women in Erbil city is very high and more than one third of the women support the practice and have intention to mutilate their daughters [10].…”