Decision-Making Process in Female Genital Mutilation: A Review

This research investigates the decision-making process in female genital mutilation (FGM) and identifies the key decision makers involved. It highlights the importance of involving fathers in the decision-making process to create a conducive environment for ending the practice. The study utilizes the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) framework for quality assessment. The results reveal variations in the decision-making process across regions and emphasize the need for further research and interventions. The study provides valuable insights into FGM and its impact on health and social care.

Decision-Making Process in
Female Genital Mutilation: A
Review

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Critical appraisal........................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................3
METHODS............................................................................................................................4
RESULTS..............................................................................................................................5
DISCUSSION........................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES...........................................................................................................................7

Introduction
The purpose of the project is to investigate the Female genital mutilation/cutting
(FGM/C) household decision making process and along with that identifying the major
people who are involved in the household decision making. FGM/C is the most damaging
practice and despite of the efforts being put in order to end such practice, the existing trends
and patterns of the decrease are not sufficient in regard to overcome the population’s
underlying growth. This research summarizes that the decision-making process differs from
region to region and it mainly includes more than one person and therefore, each that person
has different power pertaining to the decision. Fathers, moms, and grandmas are the
fundamental decision makers. It was appeared from this audit that opening the dialogue with
respect to FGM/C between genders may prompt a beneficial decision cycle. The support of
fathers in the decision may liberate the moms from the prevailing difficulty and obligation of
carrying on conventions and establish a better climate to stop FGM/C practice.
The CASP framework is being used which helps in developing the evidence-based
approach in respect to the health and social care or in regard to working with the other health
related national and international organizations. In this study different appraisal tools are
being applied but for the qualitative research, Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) is
being used for the quality assessment (Long, French and Brooks, 2020). CASP intends to
assist people with creating aptitudes to discover and make sense of the research evidence,
assisting them with applying proof in practice. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP)
apparatuses were created to show individuals how to fundamentally assess various sorts of
evidence. There are seven agendas explicitly intended to assess: systematic reviews, RCTs,
qualitative research, diagnostic test and case control studies, economic evaluation studies and
the cohort studies.
Critical appraisal
INTRODUCTION
Central purpose
The central purpose of the author is to examine the FGM/C family decision making
cycle and to distinguish the fundamental decision makers in the family. Likewise, the author
evaluates the requirement for additional examination in this field or the chance of executing
mediations.
Rationale

FGM/C is a type of violence as against the women and the girls which involves the
partial or the complete removal of the external female genitalia and the other injuries to the
genital organs which is because of the non-medical reasons. This results into causing lifelong
illness and problems over ladies and young girls and makes wellbeing imbalance without
having any medical advantages, by prompting life-enduring physical, mental and sexual
issues among females who are exposed to the practices (extreme agonies, dying, bleeding,
kidney failure, barrenness, troubles during labour, demise of the infant, and additionally
maternal death. This research reveals the impact of participation of fathers in respect to the
decision-making procedures which can help mothers in overcoming the social burden and
responsibility which will create a favourable environment. Therefore, the rationale of this
research is very much clear in respect to effectively meeting up with the increasing issues
pertaining to FGM/C.
METHODS
Method and techniques used and kind of data obtained from each technique
Under this, the primary and the secondary research method is being used and along
with it the researcher has used qualitative as well as quantitative tools for the purpose of
gathering the research data. It has used various techniques like the cross-sectional
quantitative study through the way of interviews which helps in gathering information about
the respondent’s perspectives in regard to the abandonment of FGM/C. Along with this, it
helps in examining the sources of information having an impact over the pupil’s attitude in
regard to this practice. Another technique is qualitative study using FGDs which works on
collecting data in respect to the knowledge and understanding of the women of FGM/C
(Alradie-Mohamed, Kabir and Arafat, 2020). Cross-sectional Community based survey
which will help in determining the factors which are having an impact on this practice on the
young parental generation and the grandparents. Cross sectional study based upon the
community and the quantitative tools like questionnaire, interviews and FGDs is also being
utilized for the purpose of gathering an in-depth information about the current prevalence of
the FMG/C along with its health related consequences and the reasons which are behind the
perpetuation of such practices. Along with this, it will provide assistance in gathering
information in relation to the experience of the heath care centres and midwives in offering
care and counsel to the women problems in association with the FGM/C.
The data gathering is very helpful in gaining an insight into this problem which are
interpreted with the help of table and charts so that clear picture can be taken (Mitchell and
Education, 2018). With the help of these techniques, the author was able to collect outcome

in the quantitative terms which is considered as the best way of presenting the evidence
which is done through measuring and application of quantitative techniques. This study has
helped in determining the most crucial issue pertaining to the FGM/C in various nations and
ethnicities but further research is being required which is because of the reason that the
limited study is being done on this topic. The study provides a summarized information on
the DMP, HHDM and the FGM/C and also states about the presence of silence while
discussing about such things among men and women and also by the social and cultural
responsibilities.
RESULTS
The characteristics of the included studies reviews included across the 11 nations
while the 13 studies are being conducted in the African nations while the two other studies
were being carried out in the Mideastern country Kurdistan regions. Through Qualitative
study using FGDs the outcome gathered is that in Somali communities, fathers are
responsible for the sons while the mothers are responsible for girls (Alradie-Mohamed, Kabir
and Arafat, 2020). Also, women play an important role in FGM/C in the regions of Somali
and Harari. In the cross-sectional quantitative research technique by using interview, which
help in finding that the 41.2% of the respondents stated that the mothers are the decision
makers in respect to performing the FGC followed by the power under both the parents to
undertake the decision which was 34.5%and fathers only to accounts for 5.2%. thus, under
this technique the participants reflect about the main decision maker in a household in regard
to the FGM/C in that region along with it, the female student who has underwent the FGN/C
(total number of participants = 79) reflected about the decisions being taken to circumcise
them. Qualitative study using FGDs method has helped in gathering data in respect to the
statement given by the participants which reflects on the fact that the mother and
grandmother mainly decides for the girls without involving the men in undertaking such
decision.
Through the help of the techniques which are being used has helped in gathering very
relevant data which can be utilized statistically in order to present it in a better way. The
statistical data has helped the author in drawing conclusion based on the evidence gathered
from the various. This result derived from eth application of these techniques have helped in
meeting up with the questions which are being raised by the author or the purpose of the
study. The resulted outcome has assisted the author in deriving to the answer which the
author was looking based upon which the final conclusion is drawn.

DISCUSSION
The FGM/C HDM process is considered to be the complex process which also varies
from one region to another and also changes from time to time. This practice is the old
tradition among the communities like African which has followed these practices for very
long time and has already came across the phases of the decision making procedure and has
implemented their own decision process. Females or moms’ choices are affected by their
longing to keep up convention and satisfy their commitments inside the general public by
guaranteeing the marriageability of their little girls where circumcised females are more
positive for marriage. In addition to this, the mothers might not hold the huge power and
authority pertaining to the decision making in opposing the conventional practices and the
older females who are holding higher power in the community (Alradie-Mohamed, Kabir and
Arafat, 2020). As per the knowledge of the author, this project is the first systematic review
being conducted on this topic pertaining to the decision-making procedure and those decision
makers in regard to the FGM/C. for reducing the bias, the critical appraisal was carried out on
two events with a difference of 1 week time in two appraisals.
The quality evaluation and information extraction were completed by the author but
the cross-checking was not directed, which may have influenced the nature of detailing and
the examination. At last, difference in the gathered information can be seen as it is brought
about by the diverse scope of tests in the studies evaluated. Thus, this study has provided new
data and factual information pertaining to the topic which is significant for the work which
results into getting the desired answers.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Alradie-Mohamed, A., Kabir, R. and Arafat, S. M., 2020. Decision-making process in female
genital mutilation: a systematic review. International journal of environmental
research and public health. 17(10). p.3362.
Long, H. A., French, D. P. and Brooks, J. M., 2020. Optimising the value of the critical
appraisal skills programme (CASP) tool for quality appraisal in qualitative evidence
synthesis. Research Methods in Medicine & Health Sciences. 1(1). pp.31-42.
Mitchell, A. and Education, A. E., 2018, July. A review of mixed methods, pragmatism and
abduction techniques. In ECRM 2018 17th European Conference on Research
Methods in Business and Management (p. 269). Academic Conferences and
publishing limited.