Female Genital Cutting: Fundamentals, Social Expectations and Change

Abstract

The paper studies the relationship between female genital cutting (FGC) dynamics, beliefs and fundamentals across African countries. Results show that social and economic conditions are worse in countries where FGC is practiced. However, if we consider the dynamics of FGC in those countries, there is no clear link between fundamentals and the abandonment of the practice. Instead, we find a significant correlation with social expectations and trust. Our findings support the implementation of bottom-up interventions aimed at changing social expectations