200 million women worldwide affected by genital mutilation, ISS reports

200 million women worldwide affected by genital mutilation, ISS reports

Health

There are approximately 200 million in the world and 80 thousand in Italy, including 7 thousand minors, women who have undergone genital mutilation, the Higher Health Institute (ISS) said in a report, CE Report quotes ANSA.

The majority of Italian health workers, 60%, however, consider their training on the subject inadequate, and fall into errors and clichés, such as the one according to which the practice is carried out for religious reasons, when in fact it is not prescribed by any faith, said the report filed by the ISS and the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome campus in view of the world day against female genital mutilation (FGM) which falls on February 6.

"This practice - said the president of the ISS Rocco Bellantone - is unfortunately a reality that also concerns us closely.

"Genital mutilation is not only a serious violation of human rights, but also a health problem that requires our maximum commitment".

"This event - said Walter Malorni, scientific director of the Center for Research in Global Health of the Catholic University - represents a crucial step towards the construction of a national network that not only spreads awareness, but offers concrete solutions for the prevention and treatment of the consequences of FGM and that can act throughout the country with the collaboration of territorial medicine and the Red Cross.

"The idea is to propose to the Department of Equal Opportunities that actively deals with the issue a National Observatory, a training activity for health workers including cultural and communication mediators".

The national pilot survey conducted by the Center for Research in Global Health of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in collaboration with the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, the National Institute and the promotion of health of migrant populations and the fight against diseases of poverty involved over 300 doctors, in particular gynecologists, obstetricians and pediatricians, contacted through online surveys, and the results were published in the journal Reports on Global Health Research.

The ISS, finally, identifies 5 commonplace myths to debunk about female genital mutilation: "they are a Muslim practice or a religious practice", "some forms are less serious", "they are practiced only by poorly educated people, socially disadvantaged or in rural contexts", "they are an African issue" and "practicing them in hospital reduces the risks".

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