Female genital mutilation...

A reader brought this topic to my attention:
Islam United to Stop Female Genital Mutilation
The Independent (Banjul) NEWS
November 21, 2005
Posted to the web November 22, 2005
Banjul Ministers, politicians and religious leaders from almost 50
Muslim states were gathered for two days in the Moroccan capital
at the first Islamic childhood conference.
The resulting "Rabat Declaration" puts special emphasis on
female genital mutilation and other harmful practices
discriminating girls, underlining it is against Islam.
Female genital mutilation (FGM), which is also called
female circumcision, is most widespread in sub-Saharan
Muslim cultures, but Muslim scholars for decades have
emphasised that there is no Islamic basis for the very harmful
practice, which causes many deaths among young girls
each year. …
“The Declaration urged all Muslim countries where FGM is
practiced to act strongly against the non-Islamic tradition.”
The Link sent is below:
http://allafrica.com/stories/ 200...0511220644.html
****************************************
There is more info on this harmful practice all over the web:
Its not a western culture but it is affecting our sisters worldwide
Women have to stand together against harmful practices
against us and our counterparts.


Genital Mutilation: Three million girls affected annually
• Sunday, November 27, 2005
An estimated three million girls in sub-Saharan Africa including
Nigeria and the Middle East still suffer genital mutilation every
year, a UN report said on Friday.
The new report by the UN Children's Fund, however, said the
age-old ritual could be eliminated within a single generation
through open public discussion and legal action.
“Real and lasting change is possible,”
said Marta Santos Pais, Director of UNICEF
Innocenti Research Centre, which issued the report, titled:
Changing a Harmful Social Convention:
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting.
“Change will happen when communities including girls, boys,
men and women are empowered by knowledge to make
choices that are healthy and empowering to individuals
and societies,” she added.
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a traditional
practice believed to enhance a girl's beauty, honour,
marriageability, social status and chastity.
Parents encourage cutting so that the family's honour and the
girl's best interest are protected.
In the 28 countries where female FGM/C is performed, prior
estimates suggested that two million girls undergo the procedure
yearly.
UNICEF said: although, there is evidence that in some countries
Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Yemen, the practice is declining,
eliminating FGM/C on a large scale will require far greater efforts
by governments, civil society and the international community,
the report stated.
note:In addition to causing severe pain, FGM/C can result in
prolonged bleeding, infection, infertility and death.

Thank you Rauf
here is my readers link below check out his site:
http://whitesroad.blogspot.com/