Controversy surrounds proposed Italian alternative to female genital mutilation

The proposal of a “harmless and symbolic” alternative to female genital mutilation, to be practised on African women at a public hospital in Florence, has sparked strong reactions in Italy.

The alternative “ritual,” consisting of a puncture of the clitoris under local anaesthesia that would let a few drops of blood out, has been proposed by Omar Abdulcadir, a Somali gynaecologist who graduated in Florence about 25 years ago and now heads the centre for the prevention and therapy of female genital mutilations at the Careggi Hospital, Florence.

“We strongly oppose female genital mutilation, and we hope the practice will disappear all over the world,” said Dr Abdulcadir. “Unfortunately, we deal every day …