title: The role of men in abandonment of female genital mutilation: a systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Men in their roles as fathers, husbands, community and religious leaders may play a pivotal part in the continuation of female genital mutilation (FGM). However, the research on their views of FGM and their potential role in its abandonment are not well described.
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook a systematic review of all publications between 2004 and 2014 that explored men's attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours in regards to FGM, as well as their ideas about FGM prevention and abandonment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included twenty peer-reviewed articles from 15 countries in the analysis. Analysis revealed ambiguity of men's wishes in regards to the continuation of FGM. Many men wished to abandon this practice because of the physical and psychosexual complications to both women and men. Social obligation and the silent culture between the sexes were posited as major obstacles for change. Support for abandonment was influenced by notions of social obligation, religion, education, ethnicity, urban living, migration, and understanding of the negative sequelae of FGM. The strongest influence was education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The level of education of men was one of the most important indicators for men's support for abandonment of FGM. Social obligation and the lack of dialogue between men and women were two key issues that men acknowledged as barriers to abandonment. Advocacy by men and collaboration between men and women's health and community programs may be important steps forward in the abandonment process.
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. nesrin.varol@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Nesrin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Varol
authors.affiliation: Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. sabera.turkmani@uts.edu.au.
authors.forename: Sabera
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turkmani
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. kirsten.black@sydney.edu.au.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Black
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. john.hall@newcastle.edu.au.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. angela.dawson@uts.edu.au.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dawson
mesh_terms: D019093:Circumcision, Female / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008571:Men / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D016387:Women's Health