Summary

Kristof and WuDunn write that the genital cutting of young girls has been an on-going tradition in third world nations for centuries. There is a new movement led by an American woman who lived in Senegal for many years. Kristof and WuDunn note that this practice may soon be eradicated in West Africa. The majority of genital cutting is practiced in Africa by Muslims although some Christian families in Africa also follow the tradition that goes back centuries. Kristof and WuDunn write that the UN estimates some 3 million girls are cut each year in Africa alone. These cuttings also take place to a lesser degree in parts of the Middle East and Asia. Kristof and WuDunn explain that the reasoning behind the practice is the belief that by reducing the sexual pleasure of a girl she is less likely to be...