Female genital muti~tion has been common in Ethiopia for several generations. BothMuslim..and ,rnChristian population practice genital mutilation.rnIn this study an attempt was made to explore socio-demographic and economic correlates offemalerngenital mutilation, theprrnJence offemale genital mutilation, women and men's attitudes toward thernpractice in Adama town among women of reproductive age.rnInthesurvey 709womenand71 menwereselectedfrom the study area randomly through retrospectivernsurvey conducted inMarch 2002. It was observed that the prevalence offemale genital mutilation isrnwidelypracticed inAdama. Among 709women participated in thestudy 5570fthem were mutilatedrn.~ .rnand only 104 had given approval for the continuation of the practice. Similarly, among 71 menrnrespondents 18 gave support for the continuation.rnBivariateanalysis towards theprevalence andapproval ofFGM revealed significant differences in mostrnof the socio-demographic and economic variables between mutilated and nonÂ·mutilated women andrnbetween supporters and non supporters ofFGM respectively. The significant factors that have validrnrelationship with theprevalence andapproval ofFGM were again taken to multivariate analyses.rnThe out come of the logistic regression model indicate that women whowerein theag egroup30Â·49rn. ' . ..rnyears, women who stayed inAdama town 0 to 4years, women born in the countryside, evermarriedwomenandMuslim women Wf?Yeappeared with highpm;aJenceo/FGM Similarrywomen whosttryedrninAdama town 04yearJ, women who haveneverbeen inschoo4 women whohavenever been at work,rnwomen with total household income Birr 0 to 120andevermarriedwomenwereidentijiedashighlyrnsupporters 0/ FGM.rn,rnToabandon/ema!e genital mutilation itisgood to give/ocus on theimprm;emento/thestatus o/womenrnthrough education and economic empowerment. A mass medi4 campaign also plays a major role inrngetting rid off FGM.rn,