The practice of Female Genital Mutilation is criminal and dangerous, putting girls and women at great health risks and it has nothing to do with religion.
Deputy Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare, Priscilla Joseph Kuch, told CRN News this morning that Female Genital Mutilation practice is criminal because it is done against minors and without their consent.She called on the Muslim community to stop circumcising young women as female genital mutilation is not a religious act and uncircumcised women are not lesser Muslims.
Dr. Priscilla said female genital mutilation is dangerous because it exposes women to infection and as a result they may become infertile or suffer from other related complications.
She added that it affects women during delivery as it is not safe for a circumcised woman to give birth safely.
She mentioned that women have to go through de-circumcision in order to be able to deliver safely but the operation can be done only in hospitals.
Dr. Priscilla said female genital mutilation in South Sudan is practiced mainly in border areas especially among Muslim communities.
She cautioned midwives and the parents not to cut their daughters because the practice is against the law.
Today was the Ninth International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation.
Between 100 and 140 million girls and women underwent some sort of female genital mutilation and are suffering its consequences, including in South Sudan.