Factors Related to the Persistence of Female Genital Cutting in Sierra Leone

Marguerite L. Sagna, University of Alberta
Atami Sagna, University of Alberta

Strong evidence of serious health consequences of female genital cutting (FGC) has prompted decades of national and global efforts to halt this practice worldwide. Yet, despite noticeable successes, FGC is still very prevalent across 25 countries in Africa and in few others in Asia and the Middle East. Based on latest estimates, of 140 million of girls and women who have undergone the practice, two-thirds are living in Africa. It is also in this part of the world that girls are facing the highest risk of enduring the procedure. The persistence of FGC in many African nations, particularly in Sierra Leone where 94% of women have been subjected to this procedure, warrants some attention. Using data from the 2008 Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey, this study aims to examine factors associated with the preservation of FGC in this country.