Fabienne Richard – photo Bea Uhart

In an article in International Health Policies, Fabienne Richard, Midwife, MSC, PhD in Public Health and Director of GAMS Belgium (founding member of the Concerted Strategies against FGM) contributes to the debate on the medicalisation of FGM. As a reaction to an article published in the Economist earlier this year, she explains why she is against the medicalisation of FGM and why current efforts to stop further medicalisation have not been successful.

we should be against any cutting or transformation of the genitalia of babies and infants who are in no position to defend themselves. It is clearly an abuse by adults on children’s rights. This applies to any type of surgery/intervention done without medical reason: female cutting of the external genitalia, but also male circumcision and surgery of intersex babies (before the child has reached an age to say what he or she wants)

Read the article here: “Why we should be against the Medicalisation of Female Genital Mutilation”