Exploring the perceptions, experiences and healthcare needs of young migrant women living in Malta who have experienced female genital mutilation

Abstract

In the last two decades, there has been an increase in the flow of African migrants coming to Malta. Most of the women among these migrants are young women from East African countries, mostly Somalia, Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia (IOM, 2015, UNHCR, 2020). These countries have the highest prevalence rates of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) worldwide. Therefore, FGM has become part of the care experience of Maltese healthcare providers. This research captures the experiences of four young migrant women from different East African countries who are living in Malta and have undergone FGM in their countries. These young women talked about their life and healthcare experiences in the context of FGM. A narrative approach was adopted, by listening to their stories, understanding and gaining more insight on how these young women felt with their reproductive, gynaecological and childbirth experiences in the local hospital. Four healthcare providers with different professional backgrounds were also interviewed to share their experiences of caring for young migrant women affected by FGM. The research results suggested that the continuation of the FGM practice from the young women’s point of view is experienced as torturous and terrible. From the healthcare providers’ point of view, FGM is seen as an unacceptable practice that should be abolished and an extreme form of gender-based violence. The result is quite straight forward: FGM should be eradicated in all its forms. The best ways to abolish this tradition, according to the young migrant women, is to create massive awareness in their countries by educating young girls, community elders, parents, FGM practitioners, and men. This should happen in host countries such as Malta, too. The healthcare providers also stated that awareness and community-based education, special programmes for victims, transcultural health promotion, more cultural mediators and access to proper healthcare are all very important for the eradication of this practice. The recommendations generated by this research are that young migrant women with FGM should receive more support and education to further manage their lives, their relationships with their own health and their host country’s healthcare system. As for the healthcare providers, more continuous professional development on this subject should be offered in order to support these young women. The psychosocial, psychological and physical needs of young migrant women should be prioritised, along with community services that specially cater for FGM affected young women. Clinics that address FGM related healthcare needs should be set up.