Gender & Sexuality Law Blog

Just published on GSL Online, the Center for Gender and Sexuality Law’s e-journal, Female Genital Cutting: The Pressures of Culture, International Attention, and Domestic Law on the Role of African Women, by Aisha Nicole Davis (JD 2012)

Here’s the abstract:

This essay examines the international scrutiny of female genital cutting (FGC) often referred to as female genital mutilation (FGM), and how international legislation overlooks the women affected by the procedure. It focuses on FGC on the continent of Africa, analyzing the policy and legislation influenced largely by those who are either not African or not female. The essay then looks to domestic legislation, reviewing the laws and current practices in Kenya, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Egypt. Finally, the paper illustrates how changes in the practice of FGC come about with longevity more when those directly affected are brought into the discussion.