Women Health and Violence between progress and tradition

Q:Consider the different terminologies used for the cutting of female genitalia, as discussed in the text, "From Outrage to Courage.” Discuss the implications of using these different terminologies:
• Female Genital Mutilation or FGM, comprises all procedures that involve the partial or total removal of external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The term female genital mutilation is now more widely used both by the World Health Organisation and by many African groups advocating the elimination of the practice. The World Health Organisation (WHO), as part of its core mandate to provide assistance to Member States in achieving the goal of the highest attainable standard of health for all, issued in 2008 an inter agency statement on eliminating FGM. The statement describes, among other things, the negative implications of the practice for the health and, very importantly, for the human rights of girls and women, and declared vigorous support for its abandonment. The aspiration to alleviate the associated adverse health conditions and to restore violated human rights constitutes the cornerstone of these guidelines.
UNICEF estimated in 2016 that 200 million women had undergone the procedures in 27 countries in Africa, as well as in Indonesia, Iraqi Kurdistan and Yemen, with a rate of 80–98 percent within the 15–49 age group in Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Sudan. The practice is also found elsewhere in Asia, the Middle East, and among communities from these areas around the world. Female Genital Cutting or FGC its a term of reference used by part of the many organisations working to eradicate the practice. This is done out of respect for women who have undergone the ritual and do not wish to consider themselves mutilated. Female Circumcision that has been used to somewhat create a connection to the practise. It is needless to say very different and it has been recognised to be misleading and dangerous to consider the two practises as similar. The practise enforced on girls is more is a clitoridectomy: the partial or total removal of the clitoris which is a female sexual organ"; with  male circumcision partial or total removal of foreskin on the penis, it is also part of religious law among muslims, Coptic Christians, Judaism and Ethiopian Orthodoxy.
https://d3c33hcgiwev3.cloudfront.net/_5fe64dbe20685c710255861ffce53705_3.3_UNICEF_report_news_compil...
https://www.unicef.org/media/files/FGMC_2016_brochure_final_UNICEF_SPREAD.pdf

Based on the experience in Sierra Leone and other countries, explain how and why you believe different cultural practices are maintained in a community. Is there any possibility of shifting cultural practices?
According to different sources on FGM in Sierra Leone, a crucial factor for why there is still no Law against FGM would seem to be two main reasons:
1. the economic incentive that gives reason for the practice to exist. It is shocking to read that the policy makers in ruling political parties are using the FGM as a strategy to be voted.An interesting factor is that Sierra Leone a signatory of CEDAW. FGM is in clear contrast to its core value of the integry of the body of a woman and the freedom to choose.
2.The intricacies and complexities of a society and the relations between politics and systems of traditional law makers -the elders in this case-  plays a crucial role in the health and future of many girls. This transpires from the statement quoted by IRIN news of Sierra Leone's Minister for Social Welfare, Gender and Child Protection "will do something if the women themselves ask for it". https://d3c33hcgiwev3.cloudfront.net/_ba5dee337eab2570faf843d0ff885498_3.6_IRIN_Sierra_Leone_vote_wi...
Sierra Leone a signatory of CEDAW. FGM is in clear contrast to its core value of the integrity of the body of a woman and the freedom to choose. The 2007 Child Rights Act where it states " [...]the child from neglect, discrimination,violence, abuse, exposure to physical and moral hazards and oppression [...]" Although the Child Rights Act protects children from harmful practices, there is no law that specifically bans Female Genital Mutilation in Sierra Leone but these communities are giving a great example of what is possible,” http://www.amnet-online.org/resources/ 
https://www.amnesty.orgs/en/latest/news/2014/07/communities-sierra-leone-turn-their-backs-female-geni...
It is encouraging that in Sierra Leone 40% of young men in favour of stopping FGM. Women are the carriers of the FGM tradition of the Secret Society Bondu Society, their opposition mainly seems to be based on belief that women that cut will end up unwanted, unmarried, and ostriced from society. For women that had no formal education it about status, the new found power in the community. considering the FGM a rite of passage to womanhood and given the belief of being a wise woman and operate under the assumption that " no more education is needed"   https://d3c33hcgiwev3.cloudfront.net/_d5e5f299eee5a7bdc91f228c534b0309_FOTC_Chapter_3_Education_Disc...
This reminds me infact of when the topic came up when I was in High school in Eritrea. I remember consulting my mother and my grandmother on the FGM and and realising that I had asked a question that was not to be asked. It is a topic of taboo, just as much as talking about sexual rituals or menstruation.The topic of FGM was considered something that its there is happens, it is part of the culture. I am from a christian Ethiopian Orthodox family, and the violence of FGM is perpetuated as much as the Muslim communities. It is something that pre-dates religion but that somehow it has been intertwined with faith and its concept of purity, chastity and wholeness.
On March 31st 2007 The Eritrean Government passed a law against FGM. According to reports mentioned below, more than 90 percent of women of 5 of the 9 ethnic groups The Tigray ethnic group (which comprises 30-40 percent of Eritreas population) performs one of these procedures on girl between the ages of five and seven years.The procedure is generally not performed in Eritrea after the age of seven.According to the the survey, educated women living in Asmara and other large cities and women who are ex soldiers in the war of independence, are least likely to have their daughters undergo this procedures and Beliefs:most of those who practice FGM/FGC believe it is a religious requirement. The high prevalence is also due to family and social pressures. Grandmothers are a particular source of pressure for continuing the practice.There is a widespread belief that women who have not undergone this procedure will be promiscuous. In some cases in which a child’s parents have refused to submit their daughter to it, the grandmother has had it done against the parents’wishes. The sentence "zeytekenshebt gual aynhadar ay nqumneger" meaning "FGM woman from being wild, she becomes wiser and gets her married", a very much alive saying is of most Eritrean tigrinya and other ethnic groups.
https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/eoir/legacy/2013/06/10/eritrea_2.pdf
http://orchidproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Eritrea.pdf

A Padova una Domenica di Primavera diversa.

                                                                (PARTE 1) 

Domenica (28 Aprile 2013)

Ciao sorellina,
Ti chiamo sorellina ma Nadia mia, ormai ne hai 19  di anni! Mi chiedi al telefono cosa ho fatto oggi...
Cosa ho fatto oggi?
Questa Domenica (28 Aprile 2013) ero a Padova. Si, sono andata all'Auditorium Modigliani del Liceo Artistico in Viale Scrovegni 30 si è tenuta la 15° FESTA INTERNAZIONALE DELLE DONNE della Federazione Delle Donne per la Pace nel Mondo, sezione Italiana di WOMEN' S FEDERATION FOR WORLD PEACE INTERNATIONAL.(1) Ti direi di cercarle subito su internet, che ti può servire per la tua tesina di maturità ma non c'è quasi mai internet in Asmara, mi dici... figuriamoci non c'è la corrente!! Allora te ne parlo io gioia.
L'associazione lavora promuovendo un messaggio di pace e intercultura a livello nazionale e internazionale, la pace attraverso il ruolo della donna, superando barriere razziali, culturali , politiche e religiose. E' stata fondata nel 1992 in Corea dalla signora Hak Ja Han.
L'incontro ha ospitato anche due cori "coristi per caso" adulti e il loro spettacolo ha raccontato la storia di un bambino afgano che dentro 50 cm di spazio nel doppio fondo di un camion raggiunge l'Italia. Mi sono venute le lacrime Nadu, non potevo resistere al pensiero di te a quell'età passare quell'inferno.
Il  "coro multietnico di città di Padova" è formato da bambini e bambine dai 6 credo ai 10-12 anni,bellissimi! Fortissimi anche nella versione rap di un paio di pezzi tutta loro! Ma il merito di tutto questo va al direttore Maestro Alejandro M.Saorin, italo-argentino, rientrato in Italia , nato e cresciuto da genitori italiani emigrati in Argentina tanti anni fa. Un uomo energetico, carismatico e simpaticissimo! Ci ha ammazzati dal ridere! Devo dire che dopo quelle tre ore di spettacolo ero contenta di essere partita da Verona apposta anche se i mezzi sono ridotti di Domenica. E poi si mangiava etnico dopo, cucinato con tanto amore dalle famiglie di provenienza dai 4 angoli del mondo (lo so, tu dicevi sempre da piccola "il mondo è tondo non ha angoli!"). Immagina te che scorpacciata che mi sono fatta!
Le persone presenti erano famiglie dei bimbi del coro, amici e familiari dei coristi adulti e, tanti altri curiosi come me! C'era da mangiare a fine spettacolo e premiazioni vari. Il cibo era di vari paesi: piatti orientali, somali e altro. A servire erano i liceali. Come erano loro a prestare assistenza e fare da hostess agli ospiti, qualche centinaio che riempivano i due piani dell'Auditorium. Erano sempre loro a vendere i biglietti della lotteria con primo e secondo premio. Il ricavato andrà alla Casa di fuga per donne vittime di violenze e del comune di Padova.

"Vi invito a essere generosi perché questa nuova casa per le donne e i loro piccoli ha bisogno di tanto, e il prezzo del biglietto della lotteria sarà il vostro aiuto a questo spazio nascente. Un'oasi per le donne violate e vittime di violenza" sono le parole della presentatrice dell'evento, Cadigia Hassan, italo-somala, padovana di nascita, giornalista, studentessa universitaria di sociologia e mamma di due figli. La sua simpatia, la sua voce squillante e vibrante e i vestiti scelti appositamente somali hanno dato all'evento una ulteriore ricchezza. La sua bellissima figlia di non più di 5/6 anni, faceva da "consegnatrice" dei fiori agli ospiti invitati sul palco per dire due parole in merito all'evento, alle donne, alla violenza di genere e alla lotta della città di Padova contro i crimini di violenza domestica sulle donne e di discriminazione razziale "visto che anche quella è una forma di violenza alla persona" ha dichiarato l'assessore alla Pari Opportunità di Padova.
Non sono mancati auguri di "buon lavoro" alla ministra italo-congolese Cecilè Kyenge, la cui lotta per i diritti degli immigrati, dei loro figli e degli italiani seconda generazione è sul loro diritto di avere cittadinanza. Infine il tempo stringeva ma l'ospite che poi mi ha ulteriormente incuriosita è stata Cristina Zavloschi(2) e il suo libro "duemila chilometri dalla libertà"...
Ma di questo ti racconto domani o dopodomani, appena ho un attimo.
E tu? hai dipinto oggi? Sono così fiera di te, che sei tra i 5 finalisti della tua scuola per i migliori disegni e dipinti. Vorrei tanto vederti dipingere, come quando eri piccolina e ti insegnavo a colorare "bene"..ti ricordi?

Ti voglio bene. Sempre,

Eden

1.(http://www.padovanet.it/noprofit/immagini-allegati/allegati/PaceDUCI%20-%20web.pdf pagina 76).
2. http://www.blogger.com/profile/17876807825907591236

BREAKING NEWS EU: Eritrean asylum seekers to be relocated out of Italy

Thousands of Eritrean and Syrian asylum seekers to be relocated out of Italy

This comes as a surprise to Italy. but the fact that many EU nations, have refused to relocated refugees in their countries. The rule set by the Commission provides that they can be "relocated" only "asylum seekers who enjoy the protection regime in 75 percent of the United States. 'One feature that the Eritreans and the Syrians. The former are the largest ethnic group, this year on Italian shores. 41,470 landed on the first of January, they arrived 10,092 representing 24 per cent of the total and therefore have them included in the list in the future will lighten attendance. Syria are landed just 2,790 people, 7 percent. To Italy it will be assisting all other foreigners. The other nationality migrants will be stuck in Italy.  Therefore in the next two Eritreans and Syrian asylum seekers will be relocated out of Italy.

cartoon on refugee welcoming

 The distribution will take place only when they enter the sorting centres in operation 'hotspots' and will come international teams composed of officials of Frontex, Europol and Easo to cooperate with the procedures for the identification and Biometric screening . Every three months, Italy will have to send a report to Brussels to give account of what has been done, so keep up to date the situation of asylum seekers. A further requirement on which they will try to negotiate until the meeting of interior ministers of the EU convened for June 15.

Eritreans trafficking Eritreans criminal business unveiled by Italian TV show

Milano.Eritrean man and woman traffickers says: "nobody works for free".

IENE Tv reporters follow a case involving the negotiations of ransom demand to free a boy in Libya. The middle man was an Eritrean man in Italy. The reporters follow the ransom(more than 1000 euro) to Milan city in Porta Venezia. They end up trapping the bar owner, an Eritrean woman. She orders the waiter in Tigrinya not to answer the reporters questions. And what is worse, she justifies human trafficking by saying in the video "nobody works for free". She admits to human trafficking.

Image from the TV show proving the trafficking

The tragic fact is that the money was payed, but 18 months later still no clue of the victim. He could be alive, or at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea like the other thousands of Eritreans. The Eritrean woman admits knowing that it is trafficking and she has no trouble explaining it away. Porta Venezia, is also where you can find many asylum seekers-man women babies and minors- homeless and waiting for an opportunity to cross Italian borders and go to EU. They wil have to hide so that they avoid being scheduled as asylum seekers in Eritrea. And that is when the traffickers get them, vultures waiting for their pray.
Human trafficking is regular work for them.The fact that behind the hundreds of boats that try to cross to Europe there are smugglers and traffickers is no news. It is no news either that many of the smugglers are Eritreans.
These traffickers in the video are just some of the network exploiting victims. All because the EU would not stop the Dublin Treaty III.

Eritrean asylum seekers abandon Italy for Switzerland

The RSI Radio TV Swiss reports that the numbers of refugees, more than half Eritreans are passing through Italy. The municipality of Chiasso (max capacity 134 beds) and Losone, as Switzerland is accepting refugees, due to a new legislation of its confederate States. But the directors Antonio Simona and Carmela Fiori say that the places are already full.In June 2014 Antonio Simona said the refugees being escorted to the immigrations offices and the immigration centre by the Italian/Swiss border patrols where more than a 1000, more than half are Eritrean. These asylum seekers are being temporarily settled in pensions. They pass across all the Italian peninsula in order to ask asylum, they prefer to risk it every day.
Why? Refugees are abandoning nations like Italy and asking asylum in Switzerland. This might sound like a victory to right wing politicians in Italy like Lega, but as society Italy has failed to ensure the basic human rights for these people. Most of them, while crossing Italy, are often seen sleeping in the streets and outside the train stations.

Eritreans refugees fleeing Italy refugees without borders

Eritrean refugee life from Verona to Germany

"I am leaving, i can't live in the streets anymore"
"Isaak, where are you going?"
"For now to Germany. Friends said that i can have a chance at living and working there as  long as i don't show my paper". He might be deported because of the Dublin Treaty that allows all Schengen EU country to send refugees back to the Eu country where they first had they finger prints registered.
Isaak knew that if the German authorities check his finger prints, he would be deported back to Italy, back here in Verona, the city of love, it had no place for him. If you only consider that people are fined up to 500 euro just for giving money to a clochard, it doesn't come as a surprise.

Asmara city, Eritrea

International Day of Solidarity with the asylum seekers in Israel

Rome will join the world solidarity demonstration to sustain the march for freedom and peace that have been going on in Tel Aviv. The demands approached are to respect the asylum seekers and attend to their cases and grant them the necessary documents.

"we didn't choose to be refugees"

Lampedusa: Uncovered attempt at washing away basic human rights

18 Dicember 2013

naked refugees in detention camp in Lampedusa being washed with cold water pump

The well-to-do world is hurrying around to by present. Switch on TV and there goes another reality. Not a Christmas Santa's add. What the hole of Taly watched at 1 pm is the video broadcasted on news time at RAI, Italian TV  channel.
The video shows refugees getting undressed and being washed by water pumps by some men, presumably social workers of some "cooperativa", italian word for "welcoming and acceptance facilities/company", in the middle of the yard of the Center for detention, identification and rejection of refugees in Lampedusa (CIE). the human beings humiliated so, were secretly filmed by another refugee, a Syrian man. Whom, as soon as the keepers of the Center found out  provided to punishing him. No food, water or cigarettes for him for a day. Who knows if the punishment is over him.

At the sight of such images Europe was shocked. the Peace Nobel Europe could not accept such inhumane conditions. Immediately , the High Commissioner's office demanded an investigation regarding the organization,management and standards with in these "prisons at open sky" as we call them here in Italy. I believe it wouldn't be out of order to call these places prisons. Even if as far they are the first form of "accoglienza" italian word for "welcoming and acceptance ".

Link after the jump.