She has been held in detention since she arrived in the United States in March 1997. After her mother died in 1996, Miss Abankwah was chosen by tribe elders to become the next queen mother. However, she turned down the position and refused to perform rituals intended to determine if she was a virgin or enter into an arranged marriage. She fled Ghana when genital circumcision was threatened as a punishment. Genital mutilation Many human rights and health activists believe that female circumcision endangers the lives of women and increases dangers in childbirth.
Critics say the term female circumcision is misleading.
They point out male circumcision is a fairly straightforward and safe operation and say the female equivalent should be described as genital mutilation. In Egypt, however where circumcision can be performed under clinical conditions in the hospital, Doctors usually consult the parents whether they want their new-born baby, boy or girl circumcised or not. This applies to Egypt s three prevalent religions, Islam, Jews and even Christians. Perhaps this should be the fresh start. But then again legislating on how parents should raise their children borders on changing, belief or religion, culture and tradition.