Sandhya Gupta

Central Gippsland Health, Victoria,
Australia

Abstract Title: Review of Female Genital Mutilation Practices Worldwide and the Perception of Men and Women towards FGM in Australia

Biography:

Experienced Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with 30 years of clinical experience (Australia, India & Papua New Guniea) in public & private health care sectors. Sandhya is a Fellow of the Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Obstetrics & Gynecology and a Fellow of the RCOG, UK. Sandhya is a Senior Lecturer with Monash University, Australia.

Research Interest:

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an ancient practice, that involves cutting or altering female genitalia with no medical benefits. Though the prevalence is the most in African and Southeast Asian countries, the practice has spread into the western world through migration.

Objective: To assess prevalence, epidemiology and perception of young men and women towards the practice of FGM in Australia and the ways by which this perception could be changed.
Methods: Pubmed search on FGM along with data collected by WHO, UNICEF and UNFPSA websites. Two studies were conducted in Townsville, Australia through a questionnaire assessing the perception of young men and women towards the practice of FGM and also assessed the changes in perception after an interventional education program.
Results: The studies done in Townsville, Australia showed that the level of education, knowledge and increasing awareness of FGM especially among the migratory population, can bring a change in perception towards FGM and may help to bring the practice to a halt.
Conclusion: As FGM has been practiced for a long time with deep seated social and cultural misbeliefs, the practice needs to be abolished completely worldwide. This can happen only by increasing knowledge and awareness about the subject.