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Peacekeeping and the Prevalence of Female Genital Cutting in Sierra Leone

Author

Listed:
  • Robitaille, Marie-Claire

    (Saint Mary's University)

  • Milla, Joniada

    (Saint Mary’s University)

Abstract

While the Sierra Leone government is under pressure from the international community to ban the practice of female genital cutting, very few among the politicians and civil society are willing to abolish a practice that is seen as a prerequisite to mark the entry into adulthood. Cultural practices, however, are not immutable. In this article, we postulate that the peacekeepers’ presence in Sierra Leone during the 2000-2005 UNASMIL mission caused a shift in the female genital cutting practice. Using a difference-in-differences identification strategy and data from three waves of the Demographic and Health Surveys, carried out in 2008, 2013, and 2019, we show that women who were 19 years or younger at the start of the mission and who live within a 10-kilometre radius of a peacekeeper base have a 2.2 percentage point lower probability of being cut. The result holds for a variety of robustness checks. We provide evidence that peacekeepers’ demand for transactional sex is likely driving the results.

Suggested Citation

  • Robitaille, Marie-Claire & Milla, Joniada, 2026. "Peacekeeping and the Prevalence of Female Genital Cutting in Sierra Leone," IZA Discussion Papers 18875, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18875
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    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • N37 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Africa; Oceania
    • N47 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation - - - Africa; Oceania

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