End Gender-Based Violence

Cuando las vacaciones escolares significan MGF

10 Ago 2017

Para algunas niñas, las vacaciones escolares no son sinónimo de diversión y días de sol.

En países como Guinea, Nigeria y Somalia, el periodo de vacaciones puede llamarse la "temporada del corte", en la que el descanso escolar para las niñas es el tiempo de la práctica de la mutilación genital femenina (MGF) y la recuperación de la misma.

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“Esta es la temporada alta, cuando los padres llevan a sus hijas para que se les practique el corte”, dice Asha Ali Ibrahim.

En su comunidad en Somalia, practica la circuncisión, una labor que heredó de su madre. Mantiene a su familia con los ingresos que recibe de esta práctica y es considerada como la conservadora de una tradición cultural. “La circuncisión es importante como transición hacia la edad adulta”, dijo.

La mayoría de las niñas a quienes practica los cortes son de su vecindario o de los campamentos de desplazados cercanos.

Generalmente, son niñas de 7 a 10 años. Pero algunas veces realiza esta práctica en niñas un poco mayores que vienen a Somalia desde el extranjero. Manifiesta que “es un poco complicado realizar el procedimiento en tejido maduro”.

El tipo de MGF más común en Somalia implica cortar los genitales y luego cerrarlos por medio de una sutura.

Esta práctica puede causar problemas médicos significativos durante mucho tiempo, esto incluye hemorragia, infección, complicaciones en el momento del parto e incluso la muerte.

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La señora Ibrahim conoce bien los peligros de esta práctica.

Ella ha llevado a niñas al hospital cuando la hemorragia es excesiva. Cuando le realizaron el corte a su hija hace siete años, la niña contrajo una infección de la que nunca se ha recuperado del todo.

La señora Ibrahim intenta prevenir estos problemas.

Utiliza una cuchilla de afeitar nueva cada vez que realiza el corte en una niña y trata las heridas con un polvo que elabora con hierbas tradicionales y cápsulas de antibiótico.

Obtiene muchos de sus insumos de las farmacias locales.

Sus otras herramientas incluyen lidocaína, jeringas desechables y algodón. Afirma que les aplica huevo crudo en la herida para ayudar a la cicatrización, y usa un hilo grueso para coser los genitales de las niñas. Después del procedimiento, limpia la herida con metanol.

Aunque reconoce los riesgos de la MGF, la señora Ibrahim niega que la práctica tenga consecuencias graves como complicaciones en el parto.

Debe practicarle el corte a su nieta durante esta temporada, pero el procedimiento se ha demorado porque la niña ha estado enferma.

Cibaado Ismail sabe muy bien que los riesgos son reales.

Su hija murió al dar a luz cuando tenía 17 años; su bebé también murió. La señora Ismail dice que la MGF fue la causa. “Desde entonces, he prohibido que a mis diez nietas se les realice esta práctica”, dice.

En el Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud de Hargeisa, Asha Ali Suldan enseña a sus estudiantes de partería a desaconsejar la MGF.

El instituto, así como organizaciones locales, líderes religiosos y la juventud, se han unido con el UNFPA para incentivar a los miembros de la comunidad y a los responsables de las políticas a abandonar esta práctica.

La señora Suldan enseña a sus estudiantes a tratar las complicaciones relacionadas con la MGF durante el parto, esto incluye cortar lo que se ha cerrado con sutura.

Con el apoyo del UNFPA, el plan de estudios de partería del instituto se revisó recientemente con el fin de cubrir una amplia variedad de problemas que pueden ocurrir debido a la MGF.

Los líderes religiosos también están trabajando para darle fin a esta práctica.

El jeque Almis Yahye Ibrahim habla acerca de los peligros de la MGF a una audiencia de 5000 personas que asiste a su mezquita. Es uno de los seis jeques de la región árabe que ha formado una red para pedir que se acabe la práctica de la MGF.

Pero la gran diferencia se verá en la juventud del país.

En Hargeisa, los activistas jóvenes del grupo Y-Peer se dirigen al personal de salud, miembros de la comunidad y a otra gente joven con el fin de acabar con la MGF. Uno de los jóvenes activistas, Mustafá, dice: “no me casaría con una mujer que se haya sometido a la MGF porque no quiero tener que vivir con las complicaciones de salud que esto conlleva”.

16 NIÑAS, 16 HISTORIAS DE RESISTENCIA

25 Nov 2015

Every day, tens of thousands of girls are married before reaching their 18th birthday.

They are some of the most vulnerable girls on earth. They are denied their rights, they are at risk of abuse, their health is jeopardized, and their future prospects are limited.

In Niger, which has one of the highest child marriage rates in the world, these 16 extraordinary girls refused to become child brides.

From 25 November to 10 December, the world observes 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence. These girls embody the strength and spirit of this movement.

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“He greeted me with a terrifying smile and said, ‘You will be my second wife.’” -Amina Mahamane, 15

Last year, despite her protests, Amina was betrothed to a much older man. “My uncle hit me with a stick and told me he would kill me if I continued to refuse the marriage,” she said. But she stood firm, and the wedding was cancelled.

“My parents insisted that I marry, but I resisted like a warrior.” -Salamatou Laouali, 17

A 40-year-old man proposed when Salamatou was just 14. She convinced her father to reject the proposal, and he encouraged her to join Action for Adolescent Girls, a girls’ empowerment programme supported by UNFPA and the Government of Niger. The girls in this series are all members of the programme.

“I noticed that for my friends who were child brides, marriage was synonymous with constant problems.” -Chaâfatou Mamane, 15

Action for Adolescent Girls teaches literacy and life skills. It also raises awareness about the dangers of child marriage. After joining the programme, Chaâfatou was able to explain to her family how marrying early would endanger her health and future.

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“I have a cousin who was married off at age 13. She became pregnant and died during labour.” -Mariama Salissou, 16

Many child brides are not physically ready to be mothers. Globally, pregnancy-related complications are the second leading cause of death among adolescent girls. Mariama has received several proposals, but refuses to marry until she is 18.

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“I told them that many girls married too young are victims of obstetric fistula [and] domestic violence…” -Manira Sanoussi, 14

Girls who become pregnant while physically immature are more likely to develop obstetric fistula – a labour complication that causes incontinence, often followed by chronic health problems. Manira’s Action for Adolescent Girls mentor convinced her parents to call off the wedding.

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“After the wedding, he wanted to have sex with me, but I refused... He beat me and gagged me so he could get what he wanted.” -Zeinabou Moussa, 16

Zeinabou was married at 15. But she fought back when her husband tried to rape her, almost nightly, for weeks. Finally, he divorced her. Today, she is a proud advocate for girls’ rights.

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“When I saw teenage girls who refused to marry, I thought they were rebels... But now I understand their refusal. They just want to defend their rights.” -Ramatou Abdoul Hamidou, 14

Girls are expected to defer to their parents’ decisions, but Ramatou took a stand when her parents arranged a marriage for her last year. She protested, and after her mentor and the local imam intervened, her parents relented.

“I was bleeding, I was in tears. I ran away from his house and sought refuge with my grandparents.” -Salamatou Adam, 17

Salamatou’s father forced her to marry when she was 16. She ran away after a brutal wedding night, but her father found her, beat her and returned her to her husband's home. There, she was abused for days before her family agreed to pursue a divorce.

“My father thought I was possessed by evil spirits.” -Hadiza Abdoulaye, 18

Last year, when Hadiza refused to marry, her father sent her to a religious official for an exorcism. “He beat me repeatedly with a long stick during long exorcism sessions,” she recounted. Still, she stood her ground, and the wedding plans were cancelled.

“I got the dowry returned. I am against the fact that my parents exchanged me for cereal bags from my future husband.” -Zara Magagi, 15

Dowries and bride prices can create incentives to marry off girls while they are young. But awareness of the harms of child marriage can change people’s minds – as it did for Zara’s parents.

“According to them, my value is in marriage, and the older I get, the less value I have. I refuse to see the world this way.” -Balkissa Boubacar, 14

Gender inequality plays a huge role in perpetuating child marriage. But when girls are empowered, when they know their rights and have a choice, they marry later. “I told my family to wait until I was 18,” Balkissa said.

“My father gave up the marriage and congratulated me for saying no to the proposal.” -Nana Firdaoussou Garba, 17

Two years ago, when Nana refused to marry a 25-year-old man, her father was furious. But over time, he came to understand that the marriage would have put her at risk.

“I want to become an independent woman and support myself without waiting for my husband.” -Sahanatou Issoufou, 15

Sahanatou’s father wanted to throw her out of the house when she refused to get married. She appealed to an aunt, who convinced him to drop the wedding plans. “I intend to educate other girls so they, too, can assert themselves, and know and defend their rights.”

“I felt such a strong sense of daring in saying no.” -Larira Ibrahim, 14

Larira’s father accepted a proposal from someone she had never met. With help from uncles and neighbours, Larira convinced her parents to cancel the wedding. “We must help all young girls to have the courage to say no to early marriage.”

“Despite pressure from my family, I took my destiny into my own hands by refusing this marriage.” -Samira Rabiou, 18

Samira’s uncle arranged for her to be married at age 13. “During the wedding night, when the guests left, my husband handed me money to give to the bridesmaids so they could take a taxi home. I used this money to escape to my father’s family.”

“I learned how to fly with my own wings.” -Wassila Ali, 16

Wassila refused to marry a 20-year-old tailor. Through the UNFPA girls’ empowerment programme, she has learned to read and write, and wants to start her own business – as a seamstress. She echoed the sentiments of many girls when she declared, “I hate dependence.”

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