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