Hannelore Van Bavel

Hannelore Van Bavel is a Post-doctoral Researcher at the Department of History, Archaeology, Arts, Philosophy and Ethics of the Faculty of Arts and Philosophy at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). Her research focuses on gender studies, medical ethics, and anthropological perspectives on issues such as Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) and female genital cosmetic surgeries. She explores these topics through a feminist and decolonial bioethics lens, emphasizing cross-cultural comparisons and ethical decision-making frameworks.

She leads the EU-funded project EU657: Understanding motivations to seek and carry out female genital plastic surgeries (2023–2025), collaborating with institutions in Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, and the Netherlands. Her work bridges anthropology, bioethics, and public health, addressing themes like cultural imperialism, social norms, and healthcare provider perspectives.

Van Bavel actively participates in academic activities such as workshops on gender and sexuality research, feminist methodologies, and ethics debates. She has contributed to over 15 publications since 2017, with a h-index of 67 and 4 citations. Her research highlights intersections between biomedical practices, cultural contexts, and feminist theory.