The group which has been fighting for a ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) or female genital cutting (FGC) has said that it is disappointed with the central government not issuing any advisory on the issue. A section of women belonging to the Dawoodi Bohra community had approached the central government to seek a ban on the practice which they say is practised on the young girl child.
Maneka Gandhi, Union Minister for Women and Child Development had in May this year stated that the government will ban the practice if the community which mainly practises it in India does not stop it.
“We were hoping that an advisory will be out by now. The issue is important because many young girls can be saved,” said Masooma Ranalvi, convenor of Speak Out Against FGM. The group along with Sahiyo, another group which is against the practice, came out with a study which stated that the practice is not restricted to the Dawoodi Bohra community in India.
Their report stated that “Sahiyo has found that this practice is also being followed by at least some Sunni Muslims in Kerala’s Calicut region. There, the practice is called ‘sunnath’ for girls”.
While the community and Maneka Gandhi did not respond to the sms from DNA, recently a group of women belonging to the community had come out in support of FGM and criticised Gandhi for her statement to end the practice.
Originally posted on DNA:
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-no-advisory-against-fgm-disappoints-activists-2533518