Peer-reviewed article
Investigating Factors Associated with Migration and Cultural Adaptation in Relation to Change in Attitudes and Behavior towards Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) among Populations from FGM/C-Practicing Countries Living in Western Countries: A Scoping Review.
Salah N, Cottler-Casanova S, Petignat P, Abdulcadir J ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This scoping review examines how migration to Western countries affects attitudes and behaviors toward female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) among populations originally from FGM/C-practicing countries. The review of 17 studies from 2012-2023 identifies seven key factors that support the abandonment of FGM/C in migrant communities, including legislation, education, awareness of harmful effects, and cultural change. The findings show that social, community, interpersonal, and personal factors all play a role in FGM/C cessation.
Key points
- A significant decrease in support for FGM/C occurs within post-migration communities in Western countries
- Seven key factors support FGM/C abandonment: legislation, religious clarification, education, migration and cultural change, awareness of harm, positive views of uncut girls, and self-agency
- Factors operate at multiple levels: social, community, interpersonal, and personal
- The review examined 2,819 studies and included 17 that met inclusion criteria
- Understanding multilevel factors in post-migration settings can inform targeted interventions for FGM/C cessation
Limitations
This scoping review does not assess the strength of evidence or causal relationships between individual factors and FGM/C abandonment. The review cannot determine which factors are most effective or how they interact with one another in specific contexts.
Abstract
A growing body of evidence indicates a significant decrease in support for female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) within post-migration communities in Western countries. Addressing knowledge gaps and comprehending the factors associated with FGM/C discontinuation in these communities is crucial. The objective of this scoping review is to describe the effects of migration and cultural change on factors supporting FGM/C cessation in migrant communities. The review, from 2012 to 2023, included the following databases: Embase, PubMed, Google Scholar, Swisscovery, CINAHL, APA PsycInfo, and gray literature. Applying the PRISMA-ScR framework, we identified 2819 studies, with 17 meeting the inclusion criteria. The results revealed seven key factors shaping attitudes and behavior toward FGM/C abandonment: (1) legislation against FGM/C, (2) knowing that FGM/C is not a religious requirement, (3) enhancing education about the practice, (4) migration and cultural change, (5) awareness of the harmful effects of FGM/C, (6) a positive view of uncut girls, and (7) a sense of self-agency. These findings highlight factors on a social, community, interpersonal, and personal level that enhance the abandonment of the practice. Further research in the FGM/C field will gain more accuracy in understanding and accounting for these multilevel factors in post-migration settings, offering valuable insights for targeted interventions to promote the cessation of the practice.