The Falling Dawadawa Tree

Female Circumcision in developing Ghana

All categories of female circumcision, according to the western world’s interpretations, fall under mutilation and torture. This view is confirmed in the united Nations Charter For human rights, but oddly enough with no mention of male Circumcision.

AWithout proper prior research based on cultural perspectives many ethnic groups in 26 African countries, including Ghana, have been the target for intensive and unfair anti-female circumcision and puberty rites campaigns especially by western feminists. Consequently, traditional African value systems have broken down, as the “liberated young girls” embrace the western material value systems. Family bonds are weakened, and the spiritual well-being of members of hundreds of ethnic groups have been destroyed. Such disrespect for African culture has also rendered modernization projects designed from the West unworkable. The “liberated girls” are currently in a dilemma as they find themselves in a chaotic jungle of social evils such as: excessive sexual adventures and prostitution; high rate teenage pregnancies; alarmingly high rate illegal abortions in a country where the maximum penalty for such a crime is the death sentence; an increasing number of “vagabond” young mothers; growing drug addiction; and the explosion of the AIDs disease. Although no amount of material goods can compensate for the spiritual loss, the young girls do no even have a fraction of the material safety net that western governments provide for their young girls.

The book looks into female circumcision in Ghana from a cultural perspective. It explores the Ghanaian concept and significance of female circumcision through womanhood, grandmotherhood, and ancestresshood. Christiana Oware Knudsen forcefully examines the situation among numerous ethnic groups and provides important empirical data, includes descriptive case studies, concerning a phenomenon which constantly provides important empirical data, including descriptive case studies, concerning a phenomenon which constantly provokes debate all over the world.

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