Isatou and Jennifer Keep up the great comments about FGM. When we talk about
female circumcision/FGM, We are referring to change within us and our
societies. As far as I know, one of the most important thing affecting
Africans is the denial of harmful practices in our societies and FC/FGM
happens to be one of them. How dare can one say that FC/FGM is not an
important issue to address? What in this world is more important from
stopping people killing and harming young innocent girls in our societies? We
cannot hide nor fool ourselves thinking that by not addressing FC/FGM it will
go away. It will remain to haunt us. Dr. King once said "when an individual
is no longer a true participant, when he no longer feels a sense of
responsibility to his society, then the content of democracy is empty."
Unless we feel a sense of responsibility to harmful practices in our
societies, we will find it very difficult to have a sustainable democratic
African nations. Another saying in Africa is that "it takes the whole African
village to raise one child." If this statement is true about Africans, then
it must take all Africans both male and female to eliminate FC/FGM in our
societies because this is a destructive practice. According to my research is
that most people who wrote about FC/FGM are Westerners because most Africans
do not want to talk about it. When we run away from our own issues/problems
then outsiders will own it for us. Accountability is not just about
government and our leaders but about you and I owning destructive practice in
our societies and work towards eradicating it. I have not come across any
change process that have not been challenged. Just because people have been
challenged about FC/FGM, it does not mean it cannot be changed. We have to
remember that Rome was not build in a day so trying once or twice and being
challenged doesn't mean we have to give up. The discussion we are having
about FC/FGM is a process of change so fellow human beings we have to be open
and allow this to ring into our ears. Having an open discussion about FC/FGM
will allow us to come up with the best possible solutions. We can start by
challenging our representatives and religious leaders here in our communities
as well as at home about FC/FGM and request that they must address and
denounce it. Supporting FC/FGM is non democratic.  If we want democracy we
must then address FC/FGM in our nations and societies now not tomorrow. We as
human beings must unite to stop harmful and destructive practices in our
culture and female circumcision/FGM is one of those worst practices against
innocent young girls in Africa. May God bless us all.
Michael

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