I. Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female circumcision, is the collective name given to several different rituals involving the cutting of female genitals, practiced primarily in Africa and the Middle East. The focus of my research is to examine the practice of female genital mutilation from a human rights perspective. I will explore the debate about whether FGM is a human rights violation by examining the questions of culture and women's rights.

II. My presentation will follow this format: I will introduce what FGM is, where it is most prevalent, its consequences for women, and its justifications by the practicing societies. For my research I also discuss what a "human right" is and cultures' role in specifying these rights. This subject is of great importance because this practice has great consequences for women in Africa, and increasingly elsewhere in the world as immigration spreads the practice.

III. After careful analysis I conclude that FGM is a violation of women's rights. However as a western human rights activist, I feel I can not justly step in to regulate change because I am not a participant of these rituals. The change must come from within and by those who are members of the society. However, it is important to stress the need for information and unification as the key to a successful campaign against FGM.