Dr. Belkis Giorgis

Management Sciences for Health (MSH)

Belkis Giorgis, PhD, is the Gender and Capacity Building Senior Technical Advisor for the Leadership, Management, & Governance (LMG) Project at Management Sciences for Health (MSH). Dr. Giorgis served as Capacity Building and Gender Advisor for the HIV/AIDS Care and Support Program (HCSP) in Ethiopia, the largest national expansion of HIV/AIDS services at the community and health center levels in Africa. She serves on various boards in Ethiopia to support girl’s education, orphans and vulnerable children, mental health, gender equity, and other causes. Dr. Giorgis is a frequent contributor to the MSH Global Health Impact blog.

Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation—A Public Health and Cultural Perspective

Dr. Belkis Giorgis

Culture is one of the most sensitive aspects of people’s lives, particularly as it relates to sexual and reproductive behavior, attitudes, and norms. Therefore, when we talk about female circumcision (I still cannot call it mutilation), we should always look at this cultural practice as one of many good and bad things that happen to women universally, and not only to African women but women worldwide.