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Tackling FGM in Iran: Education about FGM during life skill classes for housewives

5.8.2014. By Osman Mahmoudi

The Hamraz Consulting Center, Training Provider in Javanrood is offering classes for housewives to teach them life skills. During these classes Mahmoudi Osman manager of the center talked about physical, psychological and sexual symptoms of FGM. Increased knowledge and awareness about actions such as circumcision is helpful and beneficial in preventing FGM.  These training programs were conducted during Ramadan month in the City Javanrood on more than 1,300 housewives attending in life skills training courses. Course instructor was Mahmoudi Osman, PhD student of the Family Counseling, and director of Consulting Center of Hamraz.

The results showed that most of housewives had low awareness on the complications of circumcision, and these women were very welcoming about getting information about circumcision and its complications.

Based on the discussion in these meetings, housewives had conflicting attitudes about circumcision some of them agree with the doing FGM because ethical problems of this generation (teenagers and young’s between 18 to 25 years), attributed to lack of FGM, and some of these women disagree with doing FGM because they believe that FGM is not uncommon now and doing it probably leads to complications.

Information about circumcision and its complications increased awareness among housewives about this social problem. Some were already experiencing problems caused by circumcision, they were advised to go to a psychologist or a doctor.

One of Osman Mahmoudi’s methods to promote the prevention of FGM is to talk about FGM and its complications in training sessions addressing psychological and scientific issues related to FGM and psychosocial health problems.