'Female Genital Cutting, Women's Health, and Development' provides a comprehensive understanding of the issue of femal genital mutiliation/cutting scope, challenges, opportunities, best practices, and how communities, development agencies, and national governments can work together to eliminate the practices on the ground. The World Bank is committed to assisting governments in ending the practice of female genital cutting, as the practice has direct, negative impact on the health and well-being of women around the world. The recommendations set forth in this paper take advantage of the World...

This is the most extensive report currently available on the use of law and policy to address the practice of female circumcision/female genital mutilation (FC/FGM). In encouraging a proactive governmental response to the practice, the book places it firmly in a human rights and legal framework. The result of a major research report in 41 countries, both North and South, it covers not only the prevalence of FC/FGM but the various laws and other measures in place to prevent it.
The book describes FC/FGM, its history, its consequences for health and the movement now working to combat it....