The Supreme Court has referred to a Constitution Bench petitions seeking a declaration of ‘khafz/Khatna,’ prevalent in the Dawoodi Bohra sect as “female genital mutilation (FGM)” which is a violation of women’s right to life and dignity.
About:
“Khatna” or “khafz” is a pre-pubescent coming of age ceremony carried out in the Dawoodi Bohra community in India. Dawoodi Bohras use the word “khatna” or circumcision to refer to the removal of the prepuce from the genitalia of both boys and girls.
Female khatna can be classified under the World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition of Type I Female Genital Mutilation or Female Genital Cutting.
Khatna is performed by a traditional cutter also known as a ‘mulaani’ with rudimentary equipment like a disposable blade under non-sterile conditions and in a household setting.
Dawoodi bohras:
The Dawoodi Bohrasare a sect within the Ismaili branch of Shia Islam. Ismailism is a branch of Shia Islam.
How many? The worldwide number of Dawoodi Bohras is estimated at just over one million.
In which regions do they live? Dawoodi mainly reside in the western cities of India and also in Pakistan, Yemen and East Africa. The majority of adherents reside in Gujarat state in India and the city of Karachi, Pakistan.
History: The sect adopted Islam from Egypt, spread to Yemen and trace their ancestry to early conversion to Ismaili Shi’ism during the reign of the Fatimid Caliph – Imam al Mustansir.
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