ユニセフ(本部・ニューヨーク)は22日、アフリカや中東の一部で続く「女性性器切除」について、現在29カ国で計1億2500万人以上が被害を受けているとする最新の調査報告を発表した。今後10年間で新たに3千万人以上が被害を受ける恐れがあるという。朝日新聞デジタルが伝えた。
アフリカと中東29か国における20年間のデータを集約した同報告書によれば、女子割礼の慣習は減少傾向にあるものの、特定の国では「ほぼ全土に」残っているという。報告によると、29カ国はジブチ、ギニア、ソマリア、スーダン、エチオピアなどのアフリカ諸国と、中東のエジプト、イラク、イエメン。
この慣習は、女性の外生器の一部または全部を切除するもので、法規制ではこうした慣習をやめさせることはできず、特定の民族や地域にいまだ根強く残る伝統の廃絶をより多くの人が訴えるべきだと、報告書は指摘している。
女性器切除はFGM（female genital mutilation）とも呼ばれ、宗教上の理由によって行われてきたが、女性の権利保護の観点から問題とされている。AFPによると、女子割礼はキリスト教やイスラム教、アフリカの伝統宗教など、さまざまな信仰のもとで行われている。女性器を切除することで、いい結婚ができたり、見た目が美しくなったりすると信じられている地域もある。
国連は「人権侵害であり、健康面で長期的に悪影響を及ぼし、心にも深い傷を負わせる」とし、根絶に向けた啓発・教育活動に取り組むよう加盟国に求めている。
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