Tradition and rights: female genital cutting in West Africa

Tradition and Rights is about female genital cutting (FGC) in West Africa. The practice violates the rights of girls to be protected from harm, yet in many communities it is a cherished tradition, defended by women and men alike.This publication describes the complexity and the sensitivities of the issue in West Africa. It is meant to generate the constructive dialogue that will be necessary for communities to abandon the practice.This report is the result of a study conducted in 2005 by the West African Regional Office of Plan with support from Plan Germany. The researchers reviewed publications, interviewed national authorities and activists, and collected information about FGC in villages in Mali, Niger, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.