Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Mark Gordon

Abstract

Female genital mutilation is recognized as a violation of human rights as it violates the bodily rights of young girls by cutting part of their bodies without their consent and leaves long term psychological, physical and sexual harm to women who were exposed to the practice. The World Health Organization estimates that 130 million girls and women are subjected to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in African and Middle Eastern Countries. According to a UNICEF 2020 report, Egypt will not meet the SDG goal of eradicating FGM as the decrease in the practice is too slow despite the policy and community work done and the issuance of the law banning this harmful practice. This policy analysis qualitative study involved using semi-structured interviews with Egyptian governmental, nongovernmental and civil society representatives. NVivo was used to organize and analyze the data. The main research question examined the social issues policy makers need to consider in order to create effective policies to end FGM/C in Egypt. The social norms theory was used to analyze and code the findings of the study. The purpose of the study was to investigate the policy processes for combatting the harmful practice of FGM in Egypt that led to legislative efforts for community change. The study results found that the policy work carried out did not address the fundamental root causes of the issue such as high levels of illiteracy and extreme poverty. Policy makers must consider the social factors behind the practice, as any effort for positive social change, such as public funds spent, and campaigns executed will be wasted if a more holistic approach to combating FGM is not employed.

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