This paper sets out to examine the effect of Women circumcision on women’s health and human rights in Africa pointing out the experience from Tanzania. The author elaborates that although the rationale behind women circumcision was to promote marriage loyalty, women circumcision has a great negative impact on women’s health and human rights.
Tanzania has ratified the United Nations Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. Tanzania has also adopted the Bill of Rights in order to curb Women’s circumcision. Currently, the government has enacted the sexual offences special provisions Act 1998 which outlaws Women circumcision. To a large extent these efforts have had a positive effects with respect to checking the spread of women’s circumcision and hence protecting the women’s health and human rights. Although beliefs and practices do not change magically with the ratification of Treaties, this is a vital step because it lays a legal ground Work for the protection of women’s health and human rights. It is my conviction that other countries may learn from the experience of Tanzania.