Raising awareness about
the socio-cultural, ethico-legal, sexual health and clinical care implications
involved in FGM is essential.
Education and training
needs to be provided for all health and social care professionals who may work
with affected women and girls and with their families. It is also important to
consider the issues of ethnicity, custom, culture and religion in a sensitive manner.
Professionals should
explore ways of resolving problems about the continuation of this practice in
ways that involve clients with their full participation.
Education of male partners
and community leaders might reduce the number of children, young and older
women who suffer in the future. However, cultural practices like FGM have been
ingrained for many generations, and will require extensive cultural education
to address the issues thoroughly and effectively.
Nurse training has not
included FGM as part of the curriculum in the past, and midwifery programmes
may not address the issues adequately either. FGM
should be a part of sexual
health education in all preregistration and post-registration programmes for
nurses, midwives and health visitors. It is equally essential to raise awareness
and the seriousness of the issues among teachers, school nurses and social
service staff.
The programme of training
around FGM should include the following:
- overview of FGM (what it is, when and where it
is performed)
- socio-cultural context
- facts and figures
- UK FGM and child protection law
- FGM complications
- pregnancy, labour and postnatal periods
- safeguarding children – principles to follow
when FGM is
- suspected or been performed
- roles of different
professionals.
Spread
the message. Say No to FGM. Read, A lost Youth by Abigal Muchecheti
now available on Amazon
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