ମହିଳା ଯୌନାଙ୍ଗ ଛେଦନ

(Female genital mutilationରୁ ଲେଉଟି ଆସିଛି)

ମହିଳା ଯୌନାଙ୍ଗ ଛେଦନ (ଇଂରାଜୀରେ Female genital mutilation ବା ଏଫ.ଜି.ଏ‌ମ୍ FGM), ଅନ୍ୟ ନାମ ମହିଳା ଯୌନାଙ୍ଗ କର୍ତ୍ତନ (ଇଂରାଜୀରେ female genital cutting) ଓ ମହିଳା ସୁନ୍ନତ୍ (ଇଂରାଜୀରେ female circumcision), ବିଶ୍ୱ ସ୍ୱାସ୍ଥ୍ୟ ସଂଗଠନ ଅର୍ପିତ ସଂଜ୍ଞା ଅନୁସାରେ ସମସ୍ତ ପ୍ରଣାଳୀ ଯେଉଁଥିରେ ଯୌନାଙ୍ଗକୁ ଅଣ‌ଡାକ୍ତରୀ କାରଣ ଯୋଗୁ ଆଂଶିକ ବା ସମ୍ପୁର୍ଣ୍ଣ ବ‌ହିଷ୍କାର କରାଯାଏ ବା ଆଘାତ ଦିଆଯାଏ । [] ଆଫ୍ରିକାର ୨୭ଟି ଦେଶର ଓ ଏସିଆ, ମଧ୍ୟ ପୂର୍ବ ତ‌ଥା କେତେକ ଦେଶାନ୍ତରୀ ଲୋକଙ୍କର ଅନେକ ସମ୍ପ୍ରଦାୟ ଏହାକୁ ସାଂସ୍କୃତିକ ପ୍ରଥା ହିସାବରେ ପାଳନ କରନ୍ତି । [] ଜନ୍ମର କିଛି ଦିନ ପରଠାରୁ ଆରମ୍ଭ କରି ପୁଷ୍ପବତୀ ହେବା ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଏହି ପ୍ରଥା ଅନୁସରଣ କରାଯାଏ, ଅର୍ଦ୍ଧେକ ଜଣାଶୁଣା ଦେଶମାନଙ୍କର ଅଧିକାଂଶ ଝିଅ ୫ ବର୍ଷ ବୟସ ପୂର୍ବରୁ ଏହି ପ୍ରଥାର ଶିକାର ହୁଅନ୍ତି । []

Female genital mutilation
photograph
Road sign near Kapchorwa, Uganda, where FGM is outlawed but still practised by the Pokot, Sabiny and Tepeth people.[]
DescriptionPartial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons[]
Areas practisedMost common in 27 countries in sub-Saharan and north-east Africa, as well as in Yemen and Iraqi Kurdistan[]
Numbers133 million in those countries[]
Age performedWeeks after birth to puberty and beyond[]

ଏହି ପ୍ରଥାରେ ବିଭିନ୍ନ ଗୋଷ୍ଠି ଏକ ବା ଏକାଧିକ ପଦ୍ଧତି ଅବଲମ୍ବନ କରନ୍ତି । ବିଭିନ୍ନ ପ୍ରଥା: ଆଂଶିକ ବା ସମ୍ପୁର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭଗାଙ୍କୁର (clitoris) ଓ ତାହାର ଘୋଡ଼ଣି ଛେଦନ; ଆଂଶିକ ବା ସମ୍ପୁର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଭଗାଙ୍କୁର ଓ ଅନ୍ତଃ ଭଗୋଷ୍ଠ; ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଅମାନୁଷିକ ସମୁଦାୟ ଯୌନାଙ୍ଗ କାଢ଼ିଦେଇ ଯୋନିପଥ (vagina) ବନ୍ଦ କରିଦିଆଯାଏ । ଶେଷୋକ୍ତ ପଦ୍ଧତିରେ ଛୋଟ ଗର୍ତ୍ତ ରଖାଯାଏ ପରିସ୍ରା ଓ ମାସିକ ଋତୁସ୍ରାବ ଯିବା ନିମନ୍ତେ ଓ ଏହାକୁ ଯୌନ ସଙ୍ଗମ ଓ ସନ୍ତାନ ଜନ୍ମ ନିମନ୍ତେ ଖୋଲାଯାଏ ।[] ଏହି ପଦ୍ଧତି ପରେ ସଂକ୍ରମଣ, କ୍ରନିକ ଯନ୍ତ୍ରଣା, ସିସ୍ଟ, ଗର୍ଭ ଅକ୍ଷମତା, ଛୁଆ ଜନ୍ମ ସମୟରେ ଅସୁବିଧା ଓ ସାଂଘାତିକ ରକ୍ତପାତ ହେବା ସମ୍ଭାବନା ଥାଏ । []

ଲିଙ୍ଗ ଅସମଞ୍ଜତା, ମହିଳାଙ୍କର ଯୌନତାକୁ ନିୟନ୍ତ୍ରଣ କରିବା ପ୍ରଚେଷ୍ଟା, ଓ ପବିତ୍ରତା, ସଞ୍ଜମତା ଓ ବାହ୍ୟ ସୌନ୍ଦର୍ଯ୍ୟ ବଜାୟ ରଖିବା ନିମନ୍ତେ ଏହି ପ୍ରଥା ଭାବନା ମୂଳରେ ଅଛି । ଏହି ପ୍ରଥା ମହିଳା ମାନଙ୍କଦ୍ୱାରା ଆରମ୍ଭ ଓ ଗତିଶୀଳ ହୁଏ ଯେଉଁମାନେ ଏହାକୁ ଗୌରବ ବୋଲି ଭାବନ୍ତି ଓ ଏହା ନ କଲେ ପରବର୍ତ୍ତୀ ପିଢ଼ିର ଝିଅମାନେ ସାମାଜିକ ବ‌ହିଷ୍କାରର ଶୀକାର ହେବା ସମ୍ଭାବନା ରହେ ।[୧୦] ୧୩୦ ନିୟୁତରୁ ଅଧିକ ମହିଳା ଓ ଝିଅମାନେ ୨୯ଟି ଦେଶରେ ଏହା ଅନୁଭବ କରୁଛନ୍ତି ।[] ଡିଜିବାଉଟି, ଏରିଟ୍ରିଆ, ସୋମାଲିଆ ଓ ସୁଦାନ ଦେଶମାନଙ୍କରେ ୮ ନିୟୁତ ମହିଳା ଯୋନିବନ୍ଦ ପ୍ରଥାର ଶୀକାର ହୋଇଛନ୍ତି । [୧୧] ଏହି ପ୍ରଥା ଚାଲୁଥିବା ଅଧିକାଂଶ ଦେଶମାନଙ୍କରେ ଏଫ.ଜି.ଏମ୍. ପ୍ରଥାକୁ କାନୁନ ବଳରେ ବେନିୟମ ବା ବନ୍ଦ କରିଦିଆଯାଇଛି କିନ୍ତୁ ଏହି ନିୟମ ବଳବତ୍ତର ହୋଇପାରୁ ନାହିଁ । [୧୨] ୧୯୭୦ ମସିହାଠାରୁ ଏହି ପ୍ରଥାକୁ ପରିତ୍ୟାଗ କରିବାକୁ ଲୋକଙ୍କୁ ବୁଝେଇ କୁହାଯାଉଛି ଓ ୟୁନାଇଟେଡ ନେସନ୍‌ସ ଜେନେରାଲ ଆସେମ୍ବ୍ଲି ଏହାକୁ ମାନବିକ ଅଧିକାର ପରିପନ୍ଥି ଭାବେ ବିଚାର କରିଛି । [୧୩] ବିରୋଧୀମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସମାଲୋଚନା ବିହୀନ ନୁହ‌ନ୍ତି ବିଶେଷତଃ ନୃତ‌ତ୍ତ୍ୱବିଦ୍‌ମାନେଏରିକ୍ ସିଲ୍‌ଭର୍‌ମ୍ୟାନ୍ ଲେଖିଛନ୍ତି ଯେ ଏଫ.ଜି.ଏମ୍. ପ୍ରଥା ନୃତ‌ତ୍ତ୍ୱବିଦ୍‌ମାନଙ୍କର କେନ୍ଦ୍ରୀୟ ବିଷୟ, ଯେଉଁଥିରେ ସାଂସ୍କୃତିକ ଆପେକ୍ଷିକତା, ସ‌ହ‌ନଶୀଳତା ଓ ମାନବିକା ଅଧିକାର ଉପରେ ପ୍ରଶ୍ନବାଚୀ ଚିହ୍ନ ଅଛି । [୧୪]


  1. Masinde, Andrew. "FGM: Despite the ban, the monster still rears its ugly head in Uganda", New Vision, Uganda, 5 February 2013.
  2. ୨.୦ ୨.୧ "Classification of female genital mutilation", World Health Organization, 2013 (hereafter WHO 2013).
  3. "Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Statistical Overview and Exploration of the Dynamics of Change", United Nations Children's Fund, July 2013 (hereafter UNICEF 2013), p. 2.
  4. ୪.୦ ୪.୧ Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: What Might the Future Hold?, New York: UNICEF, 22 July 2014 (hereafter UNICEF 2014), p. 3/6: "If nothing is done, the number of girls and women affected will grow from 133 million today to 325 million in 2050." Also see p. 6/6:

    "Data sources: UNICEF global databases, 2014, based on Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and other nationally representative surveys, 1997–2013. Population data are from: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, World Population Prospects: The 2012 revision, CD-ROM edition, United Nations, New York, 2013.

    "Notes: Data presented in this brochure cover the 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East where FGM/C is concentrated and for which nationally representative data are available."

  5. UNICEF 2013, p. 50.
  6. UNICEF 2013 Archived 2015-04-05 at the Wayback Machine., p. 2
  7. UNICEF 2013 Archived 2015-04-05 at the Wayback Machine., pp. 47, 50, 183.
  8. WHO 2013; WHO 2008 Archived 2011-06-01 at the Wayback Machine., p. 4
  9. Abdulcadira, Jasmine; Margairaz, C.; Boulvain, M; Irion, O. "Care of women with female genital mutilation/cutting" Archived 2016-07-18 at the Wayback Machine., Swiss Medical Weekly, 6(14), January 2011 (review).
  10. UNICEF 2013 Archived 2015-04-05 at the Wayback Machine., p. 15: "There is a social obligation to conform to the practice and a widespread belief that if they [families] do not, they are likely to pay a price that could include social exclusion, criticism, ridicule, stigma or the inability to find their daughters suitable marriage partners."

    Nahid F. Toubia, Eiman Hussein Sharief, "Female genital mutilation: have we made progress?" Archived 2017-01-01 at the Wayback Machine., International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 82(3), September 2003, pp. 251–261: "One of the great achievements of the past decade in the field of FGM is the shift in emphasis from the concern over the harmful physical effects it causes to understanding this act as a social phenomenon resulting from a gender definition of women's roles, in particular their sexual and reproductive roles. This shift in emphasis has helped redefine the issues from a clinical disease model (hence the terminology of eradication prevalent in the literature) to a problem resulting from the use of culture to protect social dominance over women's bodies by the patriarchal hierarchy. Understanding the operative mechanisms of patriarchal dominance must also include understanding how women, particularly older married women, are important keepers of that social hegemony." PMID 14499972 doi:10.1016/S0020-7292(03)00229-7

  11. P. Stanley Yoder, Shane Khan, "Numbers of women circumcised in Africa: The Production of a Total" Archived 2017-11-22 at the Wayback Machine., USAID, DHS Working Papers, No. 39, March 2008, pp. 13–14: "Infibulation is practiced largely in countries located in northeastern Africa: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan. Survey data are available for Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Djibouti. Sudan alone accounts for about 3.5 million of the women. ... [T]he estimate of the total number of women infibulated in [Djibouti, Somalia, Eritrea, northern Sudan, Ethiopia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Chad, Nigeria, Cameroon and Tanzania, for women 15–49 years old] comes to 8,245,449, or just over eight million women." Also see Appendix B, Table 2 ("Types of FGC"), p. 19.

    UNICEF 2013 Archived 2015-04-05 at the Wayback Machine., p. 182, identifies "sewn closed" as most common in Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia for the 15–49 age group (a survey in 2000 in Sudan was not included in the figures), and for the daughters of that age group it is most common in Djibouti, Eritrea, Niger and Somalia. See UNICEF statistical profiles: Djibouti (December 2013), Eritrea (July 2014), Somalia (December 2013).

    Also see Gerry Mackie, "Ending Footbinding and Infibulation: A Convention Account" Archived 2019-07-20 at the Wayback Machine., American Sociological Review, 61(6), December 1996 (pp. 999–1017), p. 1002: "Infibulation, the harshest practice, occurs contiguously in Egyptian Nubia, the Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti and Somalia, also known as Islamic Northeast Africa."

  12. For countries in which it is outlawed or restricted, UNICEF 2013 Archived 2015-04-05 at the Wayback Machine., p. 8; for enforcement, UNFPA–UNICEF 2012, p. 48.
  13. "67/146. Intensifying global efforts for the elimination of female genital mutilation", United Nations General Assembly, adopted 20 December 2012.

    Emma Bonino, "Banning Female Genital Mutilation", The New York Times, 19 December 2012.

  14. Eric K. Silverman, "Anthropology and Circumcision", Annual Review of Anthropology, 33, 2004 (pp. 419–445), pp. 420, 427.