Maamuuska gabdheheena iyo macnayaasha magacyadooda

[SayidSomal]

Intentions are clearly & evidently different, psychological fgm is lesser as most would understand that there is no evil intention behind it where as on the other hand fgm is more scarring physical in the long term and can have very dire consequences like infections, still births, death of mothers during delivery etc. almost every somali mother I know had still births due suffocation

 

Poor choose comparison i agree, however i just felt so irate that anyone can stand and hear the horror that it must be when fgm is being carried and do absolutely nothing about it.

[Ibtisam]

^^^Good to see a brother so angered by such issues, which guys often say "its not my concern" But there is no comparison. I agree with everything else you said.

[SayidSomal]

Ibti - i also agree there is no comparison.

 

this was intended for guys who say "i don't agree with it or i hate it but, but is not my place or concern to do anything about" which in my opinion is given a tacit consent for the practise.

[Ibtisam]

^^So what roles can a male play in preventing this practice? I’ve seen fathers who say to their wife or mothers “you are not touching my daughter, end of” But other than that, there is not much room for movement is there? It is still such a taboo, I don’t think we are going to see the “Farax’s against FGM” organisation anytime soon. Nor do I know what impact they can have in changing the society in such issues. The transition needs to ultimately from the mothers who feel that their daughter will some how be disadvantaged in the society as they will be stigmatised or will not have a good marriage prospect if they don't follow this practice.

 

Education and awareness is always the key in bring taboos out into the open, and people who are willing to talk about their experience. Also girls who had the privilege of missing out on this practise will often feel the need to hide such fact and not openly disclose it, because they still fear being stigmatised. You will see them whispering “I’ve not had it done” like they are hiding the Aids virus of something. :rolleyes:

 

But then again no one wants to be talking about their private parts because of shame, xishood, culture, religion etc and no girl wants to be the token card of "look, she did not have it done and she’s not wild”. There are so many reasons and barriers. It would be a long time before the practise dies out, if at all. It is a shame that educated, social aware parents from the West still take their children to third world countries, fully knowing the health risks and possibility of death. :eek:

[Malika]

^They can impact,even on a small scale,starting with their own households.If the mother refuses to listen to the father,then that is ground for divorce! full stop!..

 

Fathers tend to be emotionally black mailed,if you dont let you daughter go through this,then it will be your fault if she goes hay-wire later on..please what a ****** reasoning, like it stopped anyone being promiscious!

 

Now, Sayid and co. should start a faraaxs against FGM movent pronto..

 

Ibti,if anyone talks about it openly they usually get the usual abuse, mexee ledahaay, Somalidii bee ceebysee bs.blah blah.. :mad:

[SayidSomal]

Lol@ Faarax's against the FGM.

belief me, i would join that organisation.

 

In stable somalia; i belief the practise can be stopped all together in lest then couple years.

and i don't say this lightly.

 

given that all the sheikhs/imaams and all educated somalis agree the practise is unislamic; they only need to take the following steps to totally eridacate it:

• Ban the practise, write into law, get the sheikhs/imaams, radios, all other medias and touring education workshops publicise the law and the reason for it constantly (daily), none stop for at least one year

• Faarax's against FMG (i mean all men), loudly and clearly denounce fgm and say they will not marry women who had been mutalited

obviuosly excluding the ones who it had been done to before then.

• offer free hymen test for any parents or prospectus marriage partners to allay their fears and reduce excuses for the continuation of fgm

• Take active steps to find people who commit this act after the law is passed and prosecute them in public and make a big fuss about it

Persecute all involved from the father, brothers, uncles who failed their duty of care (either by allowed to happen or not doing anything about it even after it happened) and the mother, aunts, the witch (who carried it out) and any women who held the child down.

 

i agree education is the most important of all these steps, however as education takes while to have impact. i think the drastic actions are needed to get it going quickly.

 

what do you think?

[Ibtisam]

Fantastic plan ya Sayid, which only has two flaws, one a small issue we can agree on, the other is too major and beyond our control.

 

The first issue is:

Faarax's against FMG (i mean all men), loudly and clearly denounce fgm and say they will not marry women who had been mutalited

obviously excluding the ones who it had been done to before then.

The impact of this considering that an estimated 80% of girls over the age of 15 have already been mutilated. Guys cannot take that stand, because farahs that can make such demands are not born yet. Any guy who wants to get married within the next 10years is out of option unless he marries out and in the process further punishing those who have already been abused.

 

offer free hymen test for any parents or prospectus marriage partners to allay their fears and reduce excuses for the continuation of fgm

This is also flawed, hymen easily break and if someone one is determined enough easily restored for less than £500 and in 30mins. I suggest we go back to basic i.e. trusting that you are marrying someone who fears Allah and not society and not undermining a women’s self control or her worth by subjecting her to humiliating and flawed tests which really tell you nothing about her character.

 

The second BIG issue, is that this is all theory, Somalia even if it stabilises within the next 10years (and I have major doubts here too) I don’t think this will be a priority in the eyes of people. With problems such as poverty, health, mortality rate, not to mention institution building, displaced people etc I don’t see FGM varying very high on the list of priority. That is if Somali comes that far and stable enough. So I maintain my original opinion, FGM is here for the foreseeable future and although small campaigns may have an impact, it won’t eradicate the practise.

[SayidSomal]

you can start with stable regions in somalia now. on the hymen issue is for those thick headed that they would even fight the police, if their grievance is not taken on board, but agree i with trusting one another thing for it to work.

[Ibtisam]

There are various organisations working on FGM in the north, I saw a few of them, I think better coordination and endorsement by the government and shikes is needed to boost those already doing work in that area. In addition they were all in the cities, I think the knowledge gap and wide spread practise is in villages and nomadic households. The mad thing is there are hospitals where you can get it done under anaesthetics, the reasoning it is safer they do it than the bush witch, which is true but makes it seem like it is ok...

[Faarax-Brawn]

2. Magacyo goobo barakaysan oo loo saadinayo in Alle geeyo adduunka, sida: Makka, Madiino, Muna,

Marwo (buurta iyada iyo Mina la dhex ordo, marka la xajiyayo ama la cumraysanayo),

Rawdo(goob barakaysan oo u dhexaysa Guriga Nabiga SCW iyo minbarkiisa).

 

 

6. Magacyo tusaya xilkasnimo, naagnimo iyo mudeecnimo, sida:

Marwo

, Raalliyo, Amran iwm.

Could use on clarification here Mr.Money... Marwo,has two meanings? One for Naagnimo iyo mid kalo ah Barako?

 

Nice read though,I like falxado

[money]

Falxado was my auntie! just kidding he didn't mention Kaaha or Xoosheey or....

 

anyways Marwo to me is like lady. But it could be the author lived in Saudi Arabia and is fond of the holy city of Marwa ..you know Marwa and Safa? I will name my girls Marwa and Safa if Allah give me twins inshallah! and twin boys i like Siraaj and Wahaaj!

[money]

FGM is brutal - As suggested we should form an inclusive all-male organization against FGM ..called FaGM = Faaraxis against Gential Mutilation!

 

I propose Faarax Brown as the president of this organization and Sayidka as the main guy!

[NGONGE]

Originally posted by Ibtisam:

^^^They are kids and where are they suppose to go?? You are such an Arab.

 

It is a society problem, back home there is no where to run to, everyone thinks it is a great idea.

Tut. Tut. Tut.

 

You're so easy to wind up, silly. Must be those busybody tendencies of yours.

 

Here is a story I wrote years ago about this subject

[Prinz]

FGM I think is disappearing, gabdhaha hada reer magaalka lama gudo wey ka ilbaxeen...a lot of parents specially the educated ones have realised that zigzagging their girls would nowhere do them any good.

 

About the topic, its a good read.