Views of nyala university students about female circumcision: should this tradition continue?

Background: Female genital mutilation is a commonly applied tradition in the Sub-Saharan Africa. It has three subtypes. Currently, it has been mostly illegal. But tradition still goes on. Methods: This study included 407 male and 412 female university students who study in Nyala University in the State of South Darfur. Students were questioned for the followings in common: age, faculty of study, reasons for female circumcision, effects of female circumcision on female sexual functions, and their views about the circumcision of the possible future daughter. Mann-Whitney U-test was used for statistical analyses. Results: The rate of circumcision was 79.6 % in the female university students 73 % of the all male students prefer to marry uncircumcised women. Male students reported that female circumcision should be continued to be performed, and their future daughters should be circumcised (64.7%); female students reported that their future daughters should not be circumcised (77.7%). Conclusions: This study shows that even educated individuals in Africa demand female circumcision in spite of knowing its harms. It is therefore concluded that educational studies on this subject must be continued.