Movement to End Female Circumcisions

A movement in the African nation of Senegal is having a major impact in ending female genital cutting. A group called Tostan, which means “breakthrough” in Wolof, Senegal’s dominant language, is building change without the billions of dollars that have poured into other global health issues. The group, which has gotten support from more than 5,000 villages in the country, is creating African-style education programs to warn against the dangers of the practice. Female circumcisions are viewed as a rite of passage, but some girls die from hemorrhaging due to botched attempts. The Senegalese Parliament banned the practice more than a decade ago, and the government has been very supportive of Tostan.