Eritrea has banned the life-threatening practice of female circumcision, the Eritrean Information Ministry said in a statement.
Anyone who requests, incites or promotes female genital mutilation (FGM) will be punished with a fine and imprisonment, said a government statement posted on the internet late on Wednesday.
”Female circumcision is a procedure that seriously endangers the health of women, causes them considerable pain and suffering besides threatening their lives,” according to a government proclamation.
Although opposed by the Eritrean government, FGM is widely carried out by women in their homes in both Muslim and Christian communities. Its supporters argue that it helps prevent promiscuous behaviour.
The ban, which came into force on March 31, follows a campaign by the National Union of Eritrean Women, which says that 94% of Eritrean women have been circumcised.
The painful and risky practice, which can range from the stitching up of young girls’ vaginas to the excision of the clitoris, is widespread in many parts of Africa and the Middle East. — Sapa-AFP