Woman, Why Do You Weep?: Circumcision and Its Consequences

This is the first book by a Sudanese woman to deal in scholarly fashion with female circumcision and infibulation in Sudan. Based on a large-scale statistical survey, the author presents detailed incidence as to the extent of the practice, the ages at which the three operations of varying severity are performed, and the allied practices of deinfibulation and reinfibulation. Of particular note is the focus on health problems resulting from the custom, and the varied attitudes which Sudanese women and men have towards it. The final chapter recounts the history of the efforts to abolish the practice, and suggests concrete steps that might be more productive.