title: Female genital mutilation: medico-legal issues.
abstract: The rising prevalence and severe impact of HIV/AIDS in relation to women still persists in South Africa. Both economically and socially the HIV/AIDS pandemic strikes women the hardest, with disadvantaged black women mainly at risk of higher infection. The theoretical framework of this paper focuses on the connection between HIV/AIDS, sexual inequalities and sexual violence, and more precisely, female genital mutilation, a cultural practice and custom which amplifies women's exposure to HIV. Pertinent to this focus is inescapably an analysis of apparent threats to precise essential human rights as a result of the continued use of the practice of female genital mutilation in South Africa.
authors.affiliation: LLB University of Pretoria, Department of Jurisprudence, School of Law, University of South Africa. mswelmm@unisa.ac.za
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mswela
mesh_terms: D019093:Circumcision, Female / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission; D006806:Human Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D028723:Personhood; D011287:Prejudice