Assignment task:
Zusi is a small community in Veko Republic. Zusi women have as part of their culture practiced female genital mutilation (FGM) for many years and in most cases no man will marry a woman who has not undergone FGM in Zusi community. FGM in this regard has been regarded as an important rite of passage for every woman in the community wishing to get married in the future. The ceremony is so important that an elaborate ceremony is usually organized for those who have undergone FGM where young girls get to learn among other things sexuality and how to successfully take care of their 'homes'.
Recently, the Government of Veko Republic, after many years of resistance to calls by United Nations member states led by western states and the relevant treaty bodies, finally enacted an anti-FGM law prohibiting FGM in Veko Republic. This was on the basis that it violated women's rights according to universal human rights protected in various instruments at the regional and international level.
The members of the Zusi community, and especially the women, have vehemently protested this move by their government. They have accused them of imposing on them foreign ideas, which is incompatible with their culture. They have argued that their culture should not be viewed to be inconsistent with human rights because it has served them well for many years in the past. They have threatened to take unspecified actions, if the government fails to address their concerns.
Assess the position of both parties paying attention to the debate regarding culture and human rights in academic literature.