Female genital mutilation Type I and IV is prevalent in
Indonesia;
[202][203][204][205] 97.5%
[205] of the surveyed females from Muslim families (Muslim females are at least 85%
[206] of females in Indonesia) are mutilated by age 18. In certain communities of Indonesia, mass female circumcision (
khitanan massal) ceremony are organized by local Islamic foundations around Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. Some FGM are Type IV done with a pen knife, others are Type I done with scissors. Two Indonesian nationwide studies in 2003 and 2010 found over 80% of the cases sampled involved cutting, typically of newborns through the age of 9. The surveys demonstrated that circumcision among girls and boys is a universal practice in the study sites, in all of which Islam was the primary religion. Across the sites, among all the children aged 15–18, 86-100% of the girls were reported already circumcised. More than 90% of families visited in the studies claimed they wanted the practice to continue.
[203][207]Historical records suggest female circumcision in Indonesia started and became prevalent with the arrival of Islam in the 13th century as part of its drive to convert people to Islam. In islands of Indonesia, where partial populations converted to Islam in the 17th century, FGM has been prevalent in Muslim females only.
[208][209] In 2006, FGM was banned by the government; however, FGM/C remained commonplace for women in Indonesia - the world’s largest Muslim nation.
[210] In 2010, the Indonesian Health Ministry issued a decree outlining the proper procedure for FGM, which activists claim contradicted the 2006 ruling prohibiting clinics from performing any FGM.
[211] In 2013, the
Indonesian Ulema Council ruled that it favors FGM, stating that although it is not mandatory, it is still “morally recommended”.
[212] The Ulema has been pushing Indonesian government to circumcise girls, claiming it is part of Islamic teachings.
[213] Some Indonesian officials, in March 2013, claimed cutting and pricking type circumcision is not FGM.
[214]