Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05ABUDHABI2759
2005-06-20 07:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:  

FGM ON THE DECLINE IN UAE

Tags:  PHUM KOCI KWMN TC 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002759 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR DRL, NEA/PI, NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KOCI KWMN TC
SUBJECT: FGM ON THE DECLINE IN UAE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002759

SIPDIS

STATE FOR DRL, NEA/PI, NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM KOCI KWMN TC
SUBJECT: FGM ON THE DECLINE IN UAE


1. SUMMARY: THE TRADITIONAL PRACTICE OF FEMALE GENITAL
MUTILATION (FGM) HAS ALMOST DISAPPEARED AMONG UAE NATIONALS DUE
TO THE SPREAD OF EDUCATION, GREATER AWARENESS OF THE HEALTH
RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH FGM, AND GOVERNMENT INSTRUCTIONS TO
HOSPITALS AND CLINICS PROHIBITING THE PRACTICE, ACCORDING TO
HEALTH CARE AND WOMEN'S ADVOCATES. CASES OF FGM PERSIST,
MOSTLY AMONG SOMALI, OMANI, AND SUDANESE EXPATRIATES, WHOSE
YOUNG DAUGHTERS UNDERGO THE PROCEDURE, MOSTLY IN RURAL AREAS.
THE TRADITIONAL PRACTITIONERS OPERATE IN PRIVATE CLINICS AND IN
HOMES. THESE POPULATIONS ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE SEEKING THE
PROCEDURE IN THE UAE AS LONG AS THE UAE DOES NOT HAVE A LAW
FORBIDDING FGM OR PUNISHING THE TRADITIONAL PRACTITIONERS. END
SUMMARY.


2. THE PRACTICE OF FGM IS BECOMING LESS COMMON IN THE UAE,
ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO LAW ON THE BOOKS SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITING
IT. FGM'S DECLINE IS A RESULT OF THE SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL
ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN, ACCORDING TO HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS
AND WOMEN'S ADVOCATES. WHEN FGM WAS AN ACCEPTABLE TRADITIONAL
PRACTICE IN THE UAE, NO ONE SOUGHT TO PUNISH THOSE WHO
PERFORMED IT. EIGHT YEARS AGO, A SUDANESE FEMALE GYNECOLOGIST,
DR. SAMIRA AL MANDILI, WAS DEPORTED BECAUSE SHE WAS PERFORMING
FGM AND ABORTIONS IN ABU DHABI. THERE IS STILL NO EFFORT TO
CRIMINALIZE FGM IN THE UAE. (NOTE: THE UAE IS SIGNATORY TO
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS THAT ADDRESS FGM, SUCH AS THE
INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS, THE
CONVENTIONS ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD, AND THE CONVENTION ON
THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN.)


3. THE OFFICE OF FOREIGN RELATIONS AT THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH
EXPLAINED TO POLITICAL ASSISTANT THAT FGM IS PROHIBITED IN THE
UAE, EXCEPT WHEN IT IS NECESSARY TO REPAIR A DEFORMITY, AND
THAT FGM IS AN UNHEALTHY PRACTICE. THE HEALTH MINISTRY HAS
INSTRUCTED GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS AND PRIVATE CLINICS FOR AT
LEAST THE LAST DECADE NOT TO PERFORM THE PROCEDURE. HOWEVER,
HOSPITALS STILL RECEIVE REQUESTS, ESPECIALLY FROM OMANI,
SOMALI, AND SUDANESE EXPATRIATES, A FEMALE GOVERNMENT
PEDIATRICIAN TOLD THE EMBASSY'S POLITICAL ASSISTANT. SOME
PRIVATE CLINICS IN THE NORTHERN EMIRATES CONTINUE TO PERFORM
FGM DESPITE STRICT MINISTRY OF HEALTH INSTRUCTIONS FORBIDDING
THIS. FGM IS ALSO PRACTICED IN RURAL AREAS BY ELDERLY WOMEN OR
MIDWIVES KNOWN TO THE SUDANESE, OMANIS, OR SOMALIS, SOURCES IN
THE SUDANESE COMMUNITY AND THE HEALTH CARE SECTOR SAY.


4. THE HEAD OF THE HEALTH COMMITTEE AT THE GENERAL WOMEN'S
UNION, A GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED WOMEN'S ORGANIZATION, ASSURED US
THAT FGM IS NO LONGER A CONCERN FOR UAE NATIONALS BECAUSE OF
GREATER AWARENESS ABOUT THE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH FGM.
"IF IT WERE A CONCERN, THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH WOULD HAVE
APPROACHED US FOR ASSISTANCE TO HOLD AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS ON
SUCH AN ISSUE," THE HEAD OF THE HEALTH COMMITTEE SAID. OUR
CONTACTS AT THE UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN THE UAE
AND AT UNICEF'S REGIONAL OFFICE IN OMAN CONFIRMED THAT FGM IS
NOT ON THEIR AGENDA, AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ASKED BY THE WHO
REPRESENTATIVE'S OFFICE IN CAIRO TO PURSUE THIS ISSUE OR
COLLECT DATA. (NOTE: WE HAVE REQUESTED FROM THE HEALTH
MINISTRY CURRENT AND HISTORICAL STATISTICS ON CASES ADMITTED TO
THE COUNTRY'S HOSPITALS AND CLINICS AS A CONSEQUENCE OF FGM,
BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE TO DATE.)


5. UAE UNIVERSITY POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR, DR. FATEMA AL
SAYEGH, SAID THAT FGM TYPES I, II OR IV (AS PER WHO
DEFINITIONS) WERE PERFORMED WIDELY ON UAE NATIONALS IN THE 70'S
AND 80'S, BUT THE PRACTICE DECREASED CONSIDERABLY AMONG THEM AS
THEY BECAME BETTER EDUCATED AND MORE AWARE OF FGM'S LONG-TERM
PSYCHOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PHYSICAL IMPLICATIONS. THE VAST
MAJORITY OF YOUNG UAE WOMEN ARE NOT VICTIMS OF ANY TYPE OF FGM,
AL SAYEGH AND WOMEN'S ADVOCATES SAID.


6. FGM (TYPE III OR "PHARAONIC") IS STILL DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE
CULTURAL PRACTICES OF MANY EXPATRIATE NATIONALITIES RESIDING IN
THE UAE, SUCH AS THE SUDANESE, OMANIS, AND SOMALIS. SOME
SUDANESE PREFER TO TAKE THEIR DAUGHTERS TO SUDAN TO PERFORM FGM
BECAUSE IT IS USUALLY ASSOCIATED WITH FAMILY RITUALS. FGM IS
STILL PREVALENT IN RURAL AREAS OF THE UAE AND IS BEING
PERFORMED AT HOMES OR PRIVATE CLINICS IN REMOTE AREAS, WHICH
ARE FAR FROM MEDICAL MONITORING, AND WHERE THE MAJORITY OF LOW-
SKILLED SUDANESE RESIDE, ACCORDING TO FIRST-HAND INFORMATION
FROM AN EMBASSY SUDANESE LES.


7. ALL OF OUR CONTACTS AGREED THAT FGM, WHEN PRACTICED, IS NOT
A RELIGIOUS REQUIREMENT, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE TWO HADITHS
(SAYINGS BY PROPHET MOHAMMED) THAT DESCRIBE THE FIRST TYPE OF
FGM AS PERMISSIBLE BUT NOT OBLIGATORY.


8. COMMENT: WHILE WE HAVE ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE THAT ALL FORMS OF
FGM ARE BEING PRACTICED IN THE UAE, THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS HAS
DECLINED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH THE SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL
ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN. WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE MINISTRY OF
HEALTH ON ANY DATA, AND WE WILL NOTE OUR FINDINGS ABOUT FGM IN
THE NEXT ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT. END COMMENT.

SISON