Attitudes toward the discontinuation of female genital cutting among men and women in Guinea

ObjectiveTo investigate socioeconomic correlates of and gender differences in attitudinal support for the discontinuation of FGC in Guinea.MethodData from structured interviews of men aged 15–59 and women aged 15–49 years in the 1999 Demographic and Health Survey and multiple logistic regression methods were used to examine the relationship of socioeconomic factors and gender to attitudinal support for the discontinuation of FGC.ResultMore than 9 out of 10 women had undergone FGC. Attitudinal support for FGC discontinuation was more prevalent among men than women. The odds of supporting the discontinuation of FGC were negatively related to beliefs in social approval of and religious support for FGC and its enhancement of women's marriageability, the number of perceived advantages of FGC, and women's low socioeconomic status.ConclusionCommunity education, improvements in women's socioeconomic status and traditional and religious leader involvement would be critical for FGC eradication.