Female Genital Cutting in Asia: The Case of Malaysia

The practice of female genital cutting is commonly associated with communities living in parts of the African continent. Most research and intervention focus on these communities. However, many communities living in South East Asia also practice female genital cutting, yet there is a lack of information concerning its practice in these communities and the motivations and influences surrounding it. This chapter discusses the practice of female genital cutting in Malaysia, incorporating the authors’ experiences in their interactions with the stakeholders, and the work they have published related to this practice in Malaysia. The authors try to fill in the gaps of knowledge related to female genital cutting in Malaysia and to indicate the major differences between the practice in Malaysia and that in Africa.