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Migration and female genital mutilation

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  • Sandrine Mesplé-Somps

    (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Université Paris-Dauphine, PSL Research University, LEDa, UMR DIAL, France)

Abstract

More than 100 million women and girls in the world have had their genitals cut for cultural, religious, or other non-medical reasons. Even though international organizations condemn female genital mutilation (FGM), or cutting, as a violation of human rights, and most nations have banned it, it remains prevalent in many African countries, and is slow to decline. This persistence raises questions about the effectiveness of international and national laws prohibiting the practice as well as the potential role of returning migrants in changing embedded cultural norms. Does migration change migrants’ opinions and attitudes to this custom? If so, do they transfer the new norms to their origin countries?

Suggested Citation

  • Sandrine Mesplé-Somps, 2016. "Migration and female genital mutilation," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 282-282, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izawol:journl:y:2016:n:282
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rigmor C Berg & Eva Denison, 2012. "Interventions to reduce the prevalence of female genital mutilation/cutting in African countries," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(1), pages 1-155.
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    7. Christopher J. Coyne* & Rachel L. Coyne, 2014. "The identity economics of female genital mutilation," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 48(2), pages 137-152, April-Jun.
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    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    migration; social norms; female genital mutilation (FGM); Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa
    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration

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