Infibulation is the most extreme form of female circumci- sion

Infibulation is the most extreme form of female circumci- sion. It plays an important role in the Islamic societies of northeastern Africa. Until now, the social significance and function of this practice has been poorly understood. In this volume, Hicks analyzes female circumcision as a cultural trait embedded in a historically traditional milieu and shows why it cannot be treated in isolation as a single issue destined for elimination.