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Article: Eritrea Bans Female Circumcision
- Article from:
- AP Online
- Article date:
- April 5, 2007
CopyrightCopyright 2007 Associated Press/AP Online. This material is published under license from the publisher through YellowBrix, Alexandria, Virginia. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to YellowBrix. (Hide copyright information)
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NAIROBI, Kenya - Eritrea's government said it has abolished the practice of female circumcision, describing it as a threat to the lives of women.
Anyone who requests, incites, promotes or witnesses female circumcision is subject to a fine and imprisonment, Eritrea's information ministry said late Wednesday.
The ban was imposed on March 31.
"Female circumcision is a procedure that seriously endangers the health of women, causes them considerable pain and suffering besides threatening their lives," the government said.
With age-old cultural roots, female circumcision or genital mutilation, is practiced today in parts of sub-Saharan Africa and Egypt and other parts of the Arab world ...