Female genital cosmetic procedures in Belgium and the Netherlands

This project investigates why girls and women in Belgium and the Netherlands (increasingly) seek female genital plastic surgeries (FGPS) and how healthcare practitioners handle requests for the said surgeries. The results will feed into the development of an informed decision-making tool for girls and women, a European standardised assessment tool to support health professionals in handling FGPS requests in a medically responsible and gender-sensitive way, and guidelines for policy-makers on how to regulate and/or reimburse FGPS. The project is important given the worldwide increase in FGPS and the current lack of insight into what drives requests for FGPS and how to handle these requests responsibly. The project creates an opportunity for Europe to establish itself as a world leader in responding to the surge in FGPS, which is happening across the (industrialised) world but which, so far, has not received an adequate response. The project is multidisciplinary and integrates theories from medical and social sciences, including medical anthropology, bioethics, and public health, transcending the disciplines’ traditional boundaries. It uses a mixed-methods approach, including semi-structured interviews, surveys, and desk research.