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Table and definitions compiled and authored by H. L. DIETRICH
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COUNTRY |
PREVALENCE (%) |
TYPE PERFORMED |
Benin |
16.8 |
II |
Burkina Faso |
76.6 |
II – Performed throughout the country in all but a few provinces. |
Cameroon |
1 |
I, II |
Central African Republic |
35.9 |
I, II |
Chad |
44.9 |
II – Widely practiced in all parts of Chad. III – Confined to areas bordering Sudan in the eastern part of the country. |
Cote d’Ivoire |
44.5 |
II |
Djibouti |
90-98 |
II – Performed on girls of Yemeni origin. III – Most common among the Issa and Afar. |
DRC (Congo) |
Unknown |
II |
Egypt |
97.3% |
I, II, III |
Eritrea |
88.7 |
I, II, III |
Ethiopia |
79.9 |
I – Commonly practiced among Amharas, Tigrayans and the Jeberti Muslims living in Tigray. II – Most commonly practiced form. The Gurages, some Tigrayans, Oromos and the Shankilas practice this form. III – Practiced in the eastern Muslim regions bordering Sudan and Somalia. IV – Referred to as “Mariam Girz” in Ethiopia, it is practiced mainly in Gojam in the Amhara region. |
Gambia |
60-90 |
I – The Sarahulis perform this on girls one week after birth. The Bambaras perform the procedure on girls between 10-15 years of age. II – Nearly all Mandinkas, Jolas and Hausas practice this form on girls 10-15 years old. III – The Fulas perform a procedure similar to Type III that is described as “vaginal sealing” on girls from one week old to 18 years old. IV – The Fulas perform this type on girls from one week old to 18 years old. |
Ghana |
5.4 |
I, II, III |
Guinea |
98.6 |
I, II, III, IV |
Indonesia |
100 |
I, IV |
Kenya |
32.2 |
I and II most common. III – found in the far eastern areas bordering Somalia. |
Liberia |
50 |
II |
Mali |
91.6 |
I, II, III (Type III practiced in southern areas of country) |
Mauritania |
71.5 |
I, II |
Niger |
4.5 |
II |
Nigeria |
19 |
I, II, III, IV (Type I and II more prominent in the south; Type III more prominent in north) |
Senegal |
28.2 |
II, III (Type II is most common) |
Sierra Leone |
80-90 |
II |
Somalia |
90-98 |
I – practiced mainly in the coastal towns of Mogadishu, Brava, Merca, and Kismayu. III – Approximately 80% of the circumcisions are this type. |
Sudan |
90 |
I, II, III (Type III is most common) |
Tanzania |
17.7 |
II, III |
Togo |
12 |
II |
Uganda |
5 |
No information available. |
Yemen |
22.6 |
II, III |
Resources:
Amnesty International
Demographic
Health Surveys (DHS)
UNICEF
USAID
US Dept. of State
World Health Organization
DEFINITIONS OF TYPES OF FGC/FC :
Type I – Circumcision is the excision (removal) of the prepuce (clitoral hood) with or without removal of a part of the clitoris (a.k.a. sunna circumcision).
Type II – Excision or clitoridectomy is the excision of the clitoris together with part or all of the labia minora (the inner vaginal lips).
Type III – Infibulation is the excision of part or all of the external genitalia (clitoris, labia minora and labia majora) and stitching or narrowing of the vaginal opening, leaving a very small opening, about the size of a matchstick, to allow for the flow of urine and menstrual blood. The girl or woman’s legs are generally bound together from the hip to the ankle so she remains immobile for approximately 40 days to allow for the formation of scar tissue (referred to as Sudanese circumcision in Egypt; referred to as Pharaonic circumcision in Somalia).
Type IV – Unclassified includes the pricking, piercing or incision of the clitoris and/or labia; also includes symbolic rituals. The application or insertion of corrosive substances into the vagina is also considered Type IV.
Defibulation or deinfibulation – Cutting open the scar tissue that has formed around the vaginal opening to allow penetration by her husband or for the birth of a child.
Refibulation or reinfibulation or recircumcision – The sewing up of a circumcised woman’s vaginal opening after childbirth or periodically during her life when she feels as though her opening has gotten too big or loose.
Alternative rituals – An alternative to FGM
in which the traditional ceremony takes place without the actual cutting. In
Kenya, girls go through a week-long program designed as a coming-of-age
workshop. This ritual is called “Ntanira Na Mugambo” or “Circumcision
Through Words.”
Introcision – A form of FGM/C that is practiced
by the Pitta-Patta aborigines of Australia where the vaginal orifice
is enlarged by tearing it downward with three fingers bound with
an opossum string. The procedure is performed by an elderly
man when the girl reaches puberty. In other districts, the
perineum is split with a stone knife. Compulsory sexual intercourse
with a number of young men usually follows the introcision. Mexico,
Brazil, and Peru reportedly practice this form of FGM/C. In
Peru, among a division of Pano Indians, an elderly woman uses a bamboo
knife to cut around the hymen from the vaginal entrance and severs
the hymen from the labia, at the same time exposing the clitoris. Medicinal
herbs are applied, followed by the insertion of a phallic clay object
into the vagina.