Is harm minimisation an appropriate way to reduce FGM?

Late last month, a group of American gynaecologists proposed a novel solution to reducing the harm associated with female genital mutilation.

The article, published in the BMJ Journal of Medical Ethics, said societies should allow a small surgical cut or ‘nick’ to be made on young female girls.

As you would expect, the article caused heated debate.


Ellen Leabeater explores.

Warning: This story contains detailed medical descriptions. 

Speakers:

Khadija Gbla- FGM survivor and anti-FGM campiagner – Khadija’s full story
Dr Allan Jacobs- Director of Gynaecologic Oncology, Coney Island Hospital in New York
Angela Dawson- Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Health University of Technology Sydney
Ruth Macklin- Professot of Bioethics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine New York City – response to original article

Other links
FGM in Australia & its affect on childbirth
No FGM Australia

Image: Dennis Chan on Flickr.

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