Dear Colleagues:
I write to thank Paula Tavrow for sharing her feelings about my posting on the need for a different international approach to the public health threats of some female circumcision practices, and for more equity in the provision of circumcision-related healthcare to women.
I write to correct an important error in Paula's reading of my posting-- in which she claims that I:
.. "argue[s] that money for male circumcision clinical training "could be much better spent on defining international guidelines for safe medical practice of female circumcision,....""
In fact Eluem Blyden wrote:
"In case you have not already seen it I would like you to consider the full scope of human rights implications of this recent action by the Metropolitan Police of London, UK:
In which is reported that GBP 20,000 ($47,000) is being offered as a reward for anyone revealing another person practicing female circumcision.
I wonder what would have been the implications of such a reward for say, illegal abortions, breast implantations, or plastic surgeries when they were considered "unacceptable" not so long ago?
From a more pragmatic viewpoint , this amount of
money could be much better spent on defining international guidelines
for safe medical practice of female circumcision, providing public
healthcare for those desiring it, and creating a controlled,
participatory platform for its eventually demise (or wider adoption!)
depending on what women/girls choose for themselves or their children."
This unfortunate error undermines the main point of the posting which is that human rights are abused when proper medical care and respect for personal choices are replaced by wanton CRIMINALIZATION. I am not disputing the existence of abuse in female circumcision practice (as there is an all medical practice) but we will certainly increase poor practice and the abuses we claim to abhor by handing over our responsibilities as healthcare providers to witch-hunters and the police. We uphold the right of the worse murderers in prison to get modern healthcare regardless of the personal opinions of their practitioners.
What is it that is 'wrong' with African women? If, as Paula Tavrow states:
"We do not need international medical guidelines for a procedure that is detrimental to the health, sexuality and life of girls and women, not only in Africa but also on other continents."
Then what DO we need them for?
Eluem Blyden
mailto:eluem_blyden@yahoo.com