Table 1.

Description of the participants and motives for discontinuation of FGM/C for their daughters

Name	Country of residence	Age at FGM/C	Country of origin	Religion	Number of daughters	Reported motive(s) for not having daughters undergo FGM/C
Aicha	Canada	5–6 years old	Somalia	Muslim	1	1- Not mentioned in the Quran. Not mandated by Islam.
Bilal	Canada	80 days	Ethiopia	Christian	1	1-Does not want her daughter to suffer the consequences of FGM/C that she is enduring: a) intimacy is unsatisfactory, b) feeling of not being whole as a woman.
Hanan	Canada	7–9 years old	Djibouti	Muslim	3	1- Does not want daughters to suffer the consequences of the practice (participant had a severe haemorrhage requiring urgent hospitalization).
Fatou	Canada	6–7 years old	Guinea	Muslim	2	1- Suffered too much from the procedure and refuses to have her daughters undergo FGM/C.
Fatma	Canada	7 years old	Egypt	Muslim	3	1- Husband does not want daughters to undergo FGM/C.
						2- Paediatrician advised her not to have FGM/C performed.
						3- Friends from the diasporic Egyptian community are against FGM/C and did not do it for their daughters.
Binta	Canada	6 years old	Guinea	Muslim	1	1- Suffered deeply from the practice and refuses to have her daughter experience the pain of FGM/C.
Mariam	Canada	2 months old	Mali	Muslim	1	1- Pediatrician advised her not to have daughter undergo FGM/C.
						2- Afraid that her daughter will be taken away by Youth Protection if her daughter has FGM/C.
Helen	Ivory Coast	18 years old	Ivory Coast	Christian	2	1- Suffered physically from the procedure (fainted) and is concerned about the sexual consequences of FGM/C. Does not want her daughters to undergo the ritual.
Amina	Ivory Coast	10 years old	I Ivory Coast	Muslim	3	1- Does not want her daughters and grandchild to suffer as she did. Perceives FGM/C as an antiquated practice.
Alice	Ivory Coast	10 years old	Ivory Coast	Christian	1	1- Does not want her daughter to suffer as she did and currently does (recurrent infections and haunted by the memory of the event).
						2- Finds that FGM/C makes delivery more painful.
						3- Believes men nowadays prefer to be with “uncut” women, and so it would be detrimental to daughter to have her undergo FGM/C.
Martine	Ivory Coast	14 years old	Ivory Coast	Christian	1	1- Suffered from the procedure (fainted) and does not want daughter to suffer as well.
						2- Believes men nowadays prefer to be with “uncut” women, and so it would be detrimental to daughter to have her undergo FGM/C.
Awa	Ivory Coast	16 years old	Ivory Coast	Muslim	3	1- Her husband left her due to the consequences of FGM/C (sexuality was an issue). She does not want her daughter to have conjugal difficulties.
Samira	Ivory Coast	5 years old	Burkina Faso	Christian	2	1- Believes FGM/C to be a harmful practice.
Amina	Ivory Coast	4 years old	Ivory Coast	Muslim	1	1- Suffered from the practice and almost passed away (from haemorrhage). Believes the practice is harmful and highly dangerous. Does not want daughter to undergo the same experience.
Rokhaya	Ivory Coast	5–6 years old	Ivory Coast	Christian	2	1- Suffered from the practice and knows of a child who passed away after undergoing FGM/C. Did not want to subject her daughters to the ritual.