Female Circumcision: Ethics and Human Rights
The practice of FGM has been at the center of health and human rights debates for decades. Public health, women's rights and child rights advocates, governments and health professional associations--in Africa, Asia, Europe and the US-- have taken positions running the gamut from abolition to harm reduction. In April 2010, the American Association of Pediatrics issued a Policy Statement on female genital cutting that was quickly retracted in the face of significant opposition. The controversy surrounding the report presents an excellent point of departure for examining the issues that still complicate our thinking about the issue. This panel explored the ethical, legal, and human rights dimensions of female genital circumcision including dimensions of toleration, prohibition, harm-reduction, and cultural competency.
Panelists: Dena Davis, Hope Lewis, Nawal Nour, Sarah Waldeck, I. Glenn Cohen, Mindy Roseman