Fgm

FGM RESEARCHApproaches to combatting FGM

DEFINITION

• FGM refers to all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for cultural or other non-medical reasons.

• Some organizations have opted to use the more neutral term of “female genital cutting (FGC) to avoid demeaning communities and causing backlash.

SCOPE OF ISSUE IN AFRICA

• WHO estimates that 91.5 million girls and women in Africa are currently living with the consequences of FGM.

• Eighteen countries ,including Kenya and Tanzania, have enacted laws criminalizing FGM

• On December 20, 2012, the UN General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution formally banning the practice of FGM.

CASE STUDY: KENYA

FGM in Kenya is far more prevalent among certain ethic groups (nearly universal among Somali/Kisii-98%)

APPROACHES TO COMBAT FGM

Criminalization

• Laws alone unlikely to change traditions. To have a sustainable impact on the prevalence of FGM, laws must be complemented by multifaceted programs at the community level

• Uses human rights and UN laws

Grassroots

• Community based programs that work “bottom-up” to combat FGM locally. Shown to be most effective

• CBO’s can mobilize communities to publically renounce FGM

CRIMINALIZATION APPROACH

• John Hendra (UN Women) states: “…while efforts to criminalize FGM are vital, they need to be backed up with services for victims, engaging key influencers and supporting community-based activities to change social norms…”

• Steps to eliminate FGM: laws criminalizing FGM, education and outreach programs, and the use of civil remedies and administrative regulations to prevent the practice (Center for Reproductive Rights)

THE FULDA-MOSOCHO PROJECT (GRASSROOTS APPROACH)• Mosocho, Kenya: Goal is to achieve sustainable and

extensive improvement of quality of life – comprehensive abandonment of female genital mutilation

• Identifies and trains community leaders to participate in program that runs 3 ½ years; trained leaders then organize community meetings (studied extensively by UNICEF Innocenti Research Center, 2010, labeled highly successful after 5 year study)

• Outcomes: 16, 000 girls have been saved from mutilation (communities denouncing FGC), 100 female circumcisers decided to no longer continue and became advocates against FGC,

Non-SFF Partner Approach

ORCHID PROJECT (GRASSROOTS APPROACH)

• Senegal/Somalia : Partner with organizations and projects to accelerate the abandonment of FGM.

• In November 2012, Orchid began a new project with Tostan supporting their social mobilization activities in southern and northern Senegal until the end of October 2013. They are assisting with coordinating Tostan’s post-exit model. To achieve this goal, Orchid communicates best practices and experiences of success between grassroots organizations

• Outcomes: Currently, outcomes are in the process of being measured. Orchid is focusing on shadowing social mobilization efforts in the Fouta with Tostan.

Contact the Orchid Project directly through their website at: http://orchidproject.org/ (please not that the Orchid Project is not a SFF Partner)

Non-SFF Partner Approach

KISTREACH THEATRE INTERNATIONAL (GRASSROOTS APPROACH)

• Kenya: Mission is to stop all types of violence against women, children, people living with disability, youth and other vulnerable groups

• Kistreach disseminates information to communities through skits, puppets, dance, and song, story-telling (media/grassroots approach)

• Outcomes: 475 girls, and their families, who have denounced FGM. These girls then become “Kistrech Junior Girls” and play roles in influencing others to denounce (similar to Tostan idea of “organized diffusion”)

Non-SFF Partner Approach

TOSTAN (GRASSROOTS APPROACH) • Senegal: Tostan is “dedicated to empowering African communities

to bring about sustainable development and positive social transformation based on respect for human rights”

• Tostan uses an inclusive holistic, human rights-based education program, the Community Empowerment Program (CEP) Please see next slide for details

• Outcome of process: 6,000 villages agreeing to abandon FGM, communities are organized, empowered, and active in their own development. Tostan is in the process of building a training center to share their successful model with others NGOs.

You can reach our Partner Tostan through SFF, or their website at http://www.tostan.org/http://www.tostan.org/

SFF Partner

TOSTAN’S COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM

Assign a trained facilitator to the

village for 3 years that is fluent in the

local language and of the same ethnic group as the community

members

Human rights based education classes are held• Adults and

adolescents separated to encourage an open atmosphere

• Draw on modern education techniques as well as traditional African oral traditions

Participants empowered with knowledge and lead community dialogue• Also learn to select,

implement, and manage small projects

• development of new skills that lead to improved living conditions

Community Management Committee also established• Responsible

for implementing development projects designed by community

PARTNER FEEDBACK