Female Genital Mutilation, Origins and Mechanisms

Sandrine Mesplé-Somps

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Abstract: Despite the fact that at least 200 million women and girls in the world have had their genitals mutilated and 68 million girls are at risk of being cut in the next decade, research on the subject remains rare. This chapter presents the main historical factors behind Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as profiled by anthropologists, alongside recent papers that empirically investigate the origins of the practice. It outlines measurement issues with the available data before conducting an overview of the prevalence and development of these practices worldwide. The chapter then reviews studies drawing on theoretical economic models and empirical analyses to explore why FGM still persists today. It raises concerns about the effectiveness of information campaigns for women and local communities and of international and national legislation prohibiting the practice. The chapter provides insights into why FGM is slow to decline, especially in African countries, and outlines avenues for further research on this subject.

Date: 2022
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Published in Handbook of Labor, Human Resources and Population Economics, pp.28, 2022, ⟨10.1007/978-3-319-57365-6_287-1⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04233079

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-57365-6_287-1

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