TITLE:
The Moral Challenges of Female Genital Mutilation on the Stability of Marriage in Ebonyi State
AUTHORS:
Chidimma Stella Ikea, Nneoma Christiana Onuh, Augustine U. Emela
KEYWORDS:
Female Genital Mutilation, Women, Marriage, Morality, Human Dignity
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Philosophy,
Vol.11 No.1,
February
1,
2021
ABSTRACT: Many cultures, in Nigeria today, are emerging from very traditional
arcane cultural practices and are embracing more egalitarian and emancipatory
values, especially for women. One of the cultural practices that have come
under intense scrutiny in the treatment of women and the girl-child is the
practice of Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C). It is one of the
widely and deep-rooted cultural practices in Nigeria, especially in Ebonyi
State. The aim of this paper is to
examine the morality of female genital mutilation and its effect on the
stability of marriages in Ebonyi state. The questions become, what is female
genital mutilation? Is the practice morally justified and acceptable? Does it
abuse the fundamental right of the woman? How does it affect the stability of
marriages? These questions and many of its kinds surround the cultural practices of Female Genital Mutilation. This work is a
contribution to the body of qualitative research, which explores the morality
and effect of female genital mutilation on the stability of marriages, in
Ebonyi state. The researchers contend that female genital mutilation (FGM) has a negative impact on the sexual life for women and
therefore impacts negatively on their marriage. Using the moral prism and
spectacles of virtue ethics and human right theories to examine the cultural practice of FGM, it therefore concludes that it should be discouraged because it violates
women’s rights to life, physical integrity, good health and social flourishing.