International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Female genital mutilation is one of the practices a campaigner has described as an obstacle to the empowerment of women in South Africa.

Acting chair of the Commission for Gender Equality Mfanozelwe Shoz wrote in an article for Sowetan Live saying violence "remains a serious problem" in the country.

"Personal safety and human dignity is a major concern for most women," she stated.

Furthermore, it is not limited to female genital mutilation, but also includes rape, the sexual abuse of children, trafficking and forced prostitution.

Ms Shoz also noted poverty is more likely in houses in which a woman is the main breadwinner and as much as 90 per cent of the nation's land belongs to men.

Females also carry the heaviest burden when it comes to pandemics such as HIV/Aids, she continued, as they can be at a higher risk of infection and they are more likely to act as carer to the sick.

The United Nations recently praised the Tanzanian government for making efforts to prevent female genital mutilation from taking place, according to local news provider the Citizen.

Posted by Martine Ward