Breast ironing: A brief overview of an underreported harmful practice

Abstract

Harmful traditional practices are particular forms of violence against women and girls which are defended on the basis of tradition, culture, religion, or superstition by some community members. Around the world, millions of girls and women are impacted by a range of harmful traditional practices, including child and/or forced marriage, bride kidnapping or abduction, female genital cutting/mutilation (FGC/M), dowry or bride prices, female infanticide, and son preference, among others [1]. While many of these practices have generated great interest and received considerable coverage in recent years, there has been comparatively little research conducted on or attention paid to breast ironing, a harmful practice mainly performed on girls and women in parts of Africa south of the Sahara. This paper provides a brief overview of the practice, reviews the factors driving the practice, discusses its implications for health and rights, and also presents a series of recommendations