Egypt outlaws female circumcision

Why is Egypt doing this?

Egypt has banned all female circumcision, the widely-practised removal of the clitoris which just days ago cost the life of a 12-year-old girl in the country.

Hatem al-Gabali, the health minister, decided on Thursday to ban every doctor and member of the medical profession, in public or private establishments, from carrying out a clitoridectomy.

Any circumcision "will be viewed as a violation of the law and all contraventions will be punished," a ministry official said.

A survey in 2000 said the practice was carried out on 97 per cent of the country's women. STORY CONTINUED