They believe that this will reduce women’s sexual desire and reduce their likelihood of infidelity.
However, the World Health Organization warned that this practice has no health benefits, risks, violates the rights of girls, and is “an extreme form of gender discrimination.”
There is no official data on how widespread it is in Singapore, but 75% of Muslim women surveyed by the Saza team have experienced genital mutilation.
Among the 5.7 million residents of Singapore, which is predominantly Chinese, about 10% are Malay Muslims.
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, which provides religious guidance to Muslims in Singapore, publicly opposes this practice.
A spokesperson told AFP that the agency “believes that any form of medical certification will bring harm to procedures, including female genital mutilation…should be avoided.”
