Attitudes toward female circumcision among Senegalese women: a national analysis of sociocultural and economic determinants

Female circumcision involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. In Senegal, nearly two million women have undergone this practice. Despite global efforts to eliminate it, support for female circumcision among Senegalese women has only slightly declined, from 18% in 2005 to 15.6% in 2019. This study aimed to assess attitudes and associated factors using data from the 2023 Senegal Demographic and Health Survey. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 13,033 women aged 15–49. Data were processed using STATA Version 14, and multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression identified the significant predictors associated with support for female circumcision. Findings revealed that 20.29% of women support its continuation. Key factors associated with this support include age (AOR = 1.44), women’s education (AOR = 2.68), partner’s education (AOR = 1.62), wealth index (AOR = 2.09), being circumcised (AOR = 17.82), and belief that circumcision was religiously required (AOR = 13.79). More than one in five women in Senegal still supported female circumcision. Support was higher among younger, uneducated, economically disadvantaged, and circumcised women, as well as those who viewed the practice as religiously mandated. Targeted education, economic empowerment, and religious engagement are essential.