FEMALE CIRCUMCISION IN OMAN

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000402 SIPDIS DEPT FOR G/IWI, NEA/ARPI (TROBERTS),DRL (RTAGGART) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KWMN SOCI PHUM MU SUBJECT: FEMALE CIRCUMCISION IN OMAN ¶1. According to a survey conducted by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization in conjunction with the Ministry of Health (MOH),almost 80 percent of young Omani males and females believe that female circumcision (aka female genital mutilation, or FGM) is "necessary and important." The random sample polled over 3,500 sixteen to eighteen-year-old adolescents as part of an overall survey of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of secondary school students. ¶2. An official at the MOH said she was "unprepared and shocked" by the unusually high degree of approval, believing until now that the practice was rare and on the decline. While the high social acceptance of female circumcision does not necessarily correlate to an equally high rate of incidence, it does suggest that the practice may be more prevalent than previously thought. Although doctors in Omani hospitals are prohibited from performing the procedure, girls are reportedly often taken to physicians at private clinics in the neighboring UAE for the procedure. ¶3. The Ministry of Health is trying to formulate a strategy to tackle what might be a significant public health concern. But, before it can begin to address the issue on a policy level, officials at the MOH and UNICEF say they require more time to fully assess the prevalence of the practice and the type of circumcision performed. In an initial attempt to open the topic to discussion, the issue of female circumcision received brief mention in the Sultanate's 2005 national health strategy. Moreover, the Ministry of Health has forwarded its findings to relevant committees at the United Nations. BALTIMORE