Female circumcision in Indonesia

1. 9-month-old girl waiting for their turn to the procedure of circumcision. (Stephanie Sinclair)

2. In the picture above you can see the families of 284 girls which received money for their daughters participating in a mass circumcision in honor of the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. Girls and their families gathered in the great hall before the procedure of circumcision, which, by tradition, begins with prayer. (Stephanie Sinclair)

3. One of the girls getting prepared for the circumcision procedure. (Stephanie Sinclair)

4. In Asia, female circumcision is still a living tradition among some communities in the Philippines, Malaysia, Pakistan and Indonesia. Also it is practiced in the United Arab Emirates, South Yemen, Oman and Bahrain. In Latin America, female circumcision can be found in Brazil, Eastern Mexico and Peru. (Stephanie Sinclair)

5. One of the girls after the circumcision procedure. Doctors put her special clothes, but this is no guarantee of a fast and smooth healing of incisions. (Stephanie Sinclair)

6. Doctors use the scissors to cut the hood and the head of the clitoris. World Health Organization considers this unnecessary ritual and condemns such practices. (Stephanie Sinclair)

7. In some countries only after circumcision a girl can get married and wear jewelry. In the photo: the girl is getting prepared for the procedure of circumcision. (Stephanie Sinclair)

8. Doctors prepared tools and the “house” for the procedure of circumcision in some primary school and expect their patients. (Stephanie Sinclair)

9. In some countries where circumcision is practiced, it is believed that if the woman does not undergo this procedure, she is unclean – she is always too excited and can not properly take care of the house. There is also, a belief that uncircumcised women can not bear a boy. (Stephanie Sinclair)

10. One of the girls after the circumcision procedure, her face covered with tears. (Stephanie Sinclair)

11. The main reason for female circumcision is a religion. In some communities, it is thought that uncircumcised girls can’t properly clean their genitals after a urination, and a prayer of the “unclean” people can not be heard.

12. Since 1997, female circumcision is forbidden in Egypt: with the exception of cases of “medical necessity”. Some doctors continue to do the operation, using this excuse. The operation performed clandestinely by a midwife is cheaper than the one done by a doctor in a clinic. This is why many people chose this cheaper option that is often fatal since performed without any disinfection or anesthesia. (Stephanie Sinclair)