N. Van Eekert (Belgium). Strong trends toward medicalization of FGM/C. Does this help or hinder abandonment? Arguments against medicalization: risks "legitimizing" the practice ("If doctors do it, it can't be all that bad, and might be good"). Data from her study suggest that

the higher educated women in areas with high medicalization rates are more likely to NOT cut their daughter; employment, living in a richer household, mothers being involved in household decision making, also associated with less likelihood of cutting. Conclusions?

Seems that increase in medicalization can go hand in hand with the decrease of FGM/C but we don't know if that relationship is causal. Female empowerment seems to be important driver of reducing rates of FGM/C (consistent with them of wider social factors being key)