The practice of female genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision, occurs throughout the world, but it is most common in Africa. Female genital mutilation is a tradition and social custom to keep a young girl pure and a married woman faithful. In Africa it is practiced in the majority of the continent including Kenya, Nigeria, Mali, Upper Volta, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Mozambique and Sudan. It is a cross-cultural and cross-religious ritual, which is performed …showed first 75 words of 1640 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1640 total…to this belief, the benefits gained from this operation for the girl and her family far outweigh any potential danger. Bibliography Female Genital Mutilation. See: http://www.religioustolerance.org/fem_cirm.htm Female Genital Mutilation Research Homepage. See: http://www.hollyfield.org/fgm/ Kouba, Leonard and Judith Muasher 1985 Female Circumcision in Africa: an Overview. African Studies Review 28:95-110. Van Der Kwaak, Anke 1992 Female Circumcision and Gender Identity: A Questionable Alliance? Social Science and Medicine 35(6):777-787.