July 29, 2011
BBC News Bristol
Jane Onyanga-Omara
Men must play their part in breaking the cycle of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a Bristol detective has said.
Det Ch Insp Dave McCallum, who leads the public protection unit of Avon and Somerset Police, said men from communities that practise it "have tended to stay silent on this subject".
More than 120 million women around the world are thought to have undergone FGM, also known as female circumcision.
Illegal in the UK, it is carried out in over 28 countries, mainly in western and southern Asia, the Middle East, including Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and parts of Africa such as Somalia, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.
It is also illegal for British nationals or permanent residents to be taken to another country for the procedure, but some are sent abroad covertly.
The Bristol Safeguarding Children Board estimates that up to 2,000 girls in the city are at risk.
Reasons given by communities that practice FGM include that it is part of tradition, maintains hygiene, preserves virginity and marital fidelity and, according to some campaigners, a mistaken belief among some that it is a religious requirement.
Various groups say there is no religious text that promotes or supports FGM.
Det Ch Insp McCallum said: "We want men to take a lead and say 'we do not want our daughters or future wives to be mutilated in this way'.
"Men have tended to stay silent on this subject."
But he said some men had now begun to speak out, including at a recent event with the campaign group Forward (Foundation for Women's Health Research and Development).
The World Health Organisation defines FGM as "all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons".
Health risks include death from bleeding or tetanus, urinary incontinence, infections and chronic pain.
People convicted of being involved in or facilitating FGM could be jailed for up to 14 years, but to date there have been no prosecutions in the UK.
Home Office minister Jeremy Wright has now said the CPS will be issued with new guidelines this summer to assist FGM prosecutions.
'Stop the cutting'
Campaigners say the run-up to the summer school holidays are the most common time when girls are sent to places including Dubai and countries on the Horn of Africa to undergo the procedure.
Det Ch Insp McCallum said depending on the community, ages range from babies to adult women.
For more than two years, Bristol Safeguarding Children Board, Avon and Somerset Police, Forward and NHS Bristol have been working together to raise awareness, including training professionals to spot signs of concern.
Various campaign groups have also been set up to raise awareness, such as Daughters of Eve and Integrate Bristol.
Bristol-based campaigner Nimco Ali, who is of Somali heritage, set up Daughters of Eve about a year ago to help girls at risk of FGM and push for the practice to be stopped.
The 28-year-old, who has lived in the UK since she was four, herself underwent the procedure aged seven while on holiday in Djibouti.
"I only met somebody in my community that wasn't cut a few years ago and she came from Sweden," she said.
"I didn't know anybody from the Somali community that wasn't cut.
"Women are oppressing themselves believing 'it's my culture'.
"I think it will be the next generation - it's about working with them to make sure they understand their rights so they stop the cutting."
Egeran Gibril, 37, a project worker for the Somali Advice Project said: "I think people who are here know it is illegal, they know they will get in trouble if it happens.
"They know it's not accepted here, even those who are very traditional."
Det Ch Insp McCallum said in 2009 there had been four referrals to the authorities in the Bristol area, rising to 16 in 2010.
Those reporting concerns include health and social workers, teachers, family members, and members of the communities and churches.
"We're getting four or five times the number of referrals we were a few years ago across the board," Det Ch Insp McCallum said.
While at least three arrests have been made in Bristol, there have not been any successful prosecutions, he added.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Human Rights Watch lauds FGM law in Iraqi Kurdistan: Bill Shows Commitment to End Violence Against Women
July 26, 2011
Kurd Net
A Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) law that bans female genital mutilation (FGM) is a crucial step in eradicating the practice, Human Rights Watch said on Monday. The Family Violence Bill, approved by the Kurdistan parliament on June 21, 2011, includes several provisions criminalizing the practice, recognized internationally as a form of violence against women. Several studies by the government and non-governmental organizations estimate that the prevalence of FGM among girls and women in Kurdistan is at least 40 percent.
"By passing this law, the Kurdistan regional government has shown its resolve to end female genital mutilation and to protect the rights of women and girls," said Nadya Khalife, Middle East women's rights researcher at Human Rights Watch.
"But the government needs a long-term strategy to deal with this harmful practice because criminalizing it is not enough."
The Family Violence Bill also criminalizes forced and child marriages, verbal, physical, and psychological abuse of girls and women, child abuse, and child labor. The bill has to be ratified by the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government.
The new law provides for establishing special courts for family violence cases and makes it easier for alleged victims to press charges. It also establishes mechanisms for police and courts to issue and enforce restraining orders to protect victims of domestic abuse. The bill also outlines penalties, including prison sentences, for these crimes.
Article six of the law includes four provisions about female genital mutilation, criminalizing the practice and penalizing anyone, including medical professionals and midwives, who "instigate, assist, or carry out" the procedure. Criminal penalties include prison terms ranging from six months to three years, in addition to fines of up to 10 million dinars ($8,500).
In June 2010, Human Rights Watch issued a report, "They Took Me and Told Me Nothing: Female Genital Mutilation in Iraqi Kurdistan," which urged the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Kurdistan parliament to take a series of steps to end the practice, including enacting laws banning it.
The report noted while it was important to pass legislation with appropriate penalties for people who perform the procedure, the government should also provide appropriate services for victims, including health care and social and psychological support. The report urged the government to work with community midwives,www.ekurd.netwho most often do the cutting, and to undertake public awareness campaigns against the practice. Human Rights Watch also called on the regional government to develop a comprehensive legal and policy framework with relevant ministries and civil society organizations aimed at eradicating the practice.
Human Rights Watch's report describes the experiences of young girls and women who undergo genital mutilation and the terrible toll it has on their physical and mental health. The report includes interviews with girls and women who referred to the practice as "sunnah," a non-obligatory act to strengthen one's religion. Human Rights Watch found that women are confused about whether the practice is a religious obligation.
On July 6, 2010, The High Committee for Issuing Fatwas at the Kurdistan Islamic Scholars Union, the highest Muslim religious authority in Iraqi Kurdistan on religious pronouncements and rulings, issued a fatwa, or religious edict, shortly after the release of Human Rights Watch's report. The fatwa stated that female genital mutilation predates Islam and is not required by it. The fatwa did not explicitly ban the practice but encouraged parents not to have the procedure performed on their daughters because of the negative health consequences.
In 2010, the Association for Crisis Assistance and Development Co-operation (WADI), a German-Iraqi human rights nongovernmental organization, published a statistical study on the prevalence of the practice in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, and the Germian/Kirkuk region. It found that out of the 1,408 girls and women age 14 and over it interviewed, 72.7 percent had undergone the practice. For the 12 to 24 age group, the prevalence was slightly over 40 percent.
Shortly after the Human Rights Watch report was issued, the Kurdistan Health Ministry surveyed 5,000 women and girls and found that 41 percent had undergone the procedure, and that the practice is prevalent in some regions than others in Kurdistan. The ministry found, for example, that the rate was higher in Sulaimaniyah than in Erbil.
Female genital mutilation violates the rights of women to life, health and bodily integrity, non-discrimination and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. In addition, since the practice predominantly affects girls under 18, it also violates children's rights to health, life, physical integrity, and non-discrimination.
"Once the ban is in effect, government agencies should widely disseminate information on the new law making sure it reaches women and girls at risk of FGM," Khalife said. "Everyone should now know that the mutilation of girls is prohibited."
Kurd Net
A Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) law that bans female genital mutilation (FGM) is a crucial step in eradicating the practice, Human Rights Watch said on Monday. The Family Violence Bill, approved by the Kurdistan parliament on June 21, 2011, includes several provisions criminalizing the practice, recognized internationally as a form of violence against women. Several studies by the government and non-governmental organizations estimate that the prevalence of FGM among girls and women in Kurdistan is at least 40 percent.
"By passing this law, the Kurdistan regional government has shown its resolve to end female genital mutilation and to protect the rights of women and girls," said Nadya Khalife, Middle East women's rights researcher at Human Rights Watch.
"But the government needs a long-term strategy to deal with this harmful practice because criminalizing it is not enough."
The Family Violence Bill also criminalizes forced and child marriages, verbal, physical, and psychological abuse of girls and women, child abuse, and child labor. The bill has to be ratified by the president of the Kurdistan Regional Government.
The new law provides for establishing special courts for family violence cases and makes it easier for alleged victims to press charges. It also establishes mechanisms for police and courts to issue and enforce restraining orders to protect victims of domestic abuse. The bill also outlines penalties, including prison sentences, for these crimes.
Article six of the law includes four provisions about female genital mutilation, criminalizing the practice and penalizing anyone, including medical professionals and midwives, who "instigate, assist, or carry out" the procedure. Criminal penalties include prison terms ranging from six months to three years, in addition to fines of up to 10 million dinars ($8,500).
In June 2010, Human Rights Watch issued a report, "They Took Me and Told Me Nothing: Female Genital Mutilation in Iraqi Kurdistan," which urged the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Kurdistan parliament to take a series of steps to end the practice, including enacting laws banning it.
The report noted while it was important to pass legislation with appropriate penalties for people who perform the procedure, the government should also provide appropriate services for victims, including health care and social and psychological support. The report urged the government to work with community midwives,www.ekurd.netwho most often do the cutting, and to undertake public awareness campaigns against the practice. Human Rights Watch also called on the regional government to develop a comprehensive legal and policy framework with relevant ministries and civil society organizations aimed at eradicating the practice.
Human Rights Watch's report describes the experiences of young girls and women who undergo genital mutilation and the terrible toll it has on their physical and mental health. The report includes interviews with girls and women who referred to the practice as "sunnah," a non-obligatory act to strengthen one's religion. Human Rights Watch found that women are confused about whether the practice is a religious obligation.
On July 6, 2010, The High Committee for Issuing Fatwas at the Kurdistan Islamic Scholars Union, the highest Muslim religious authority in Iraqi Kurdistan on religious pronouncements and rulings, issued a fatwa, or religious edict, shortly after the release of Human Rights Watch's report. The fatwa stated that female genital mutilation predates Islam and is not required by it. The fatwa did not explicitly ban the practice but encouraged parents not to have the procedure performed on their daughters because of the negative health consequences.
In 2010, the Association for Crisis Assistance and Development Co-operation (WADI), a German-Iraqi human rights nongovernmental organization, published a statistical study on the prevalence of the practice in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah, and the Germian/Kirkuk region. It found that out of the 1,408 girls and women age 14 and over it interviewed, 72.7 percent had undergone the practice. For the 12 to 24 age group, the prevalence was slightly over 40 percent.
Shortly after the Human Rights Watch report was issued, the Kurdistan Health Ministry surveyed 5,000 women and girls and found that 41 percent had undergone the procedure, and that the practice is prevalent in some regions than others in Kurdistan. The ministry found, for example, that the rate was higher in Sulaimaniyah than in Erbil.
Female genital mutilation violates the rights of women to life, health and bodily integrity, non-discrimination and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. In addition, since the practice predominantly affects girls under 18, it also violates children's rights to health, life, physical integrity, and non-discrimination.
"Once the ban is in effect, government agencies should widely disseminate information on the new law making sure it reaches women and girls at risk of FGM," Khalife said. "Everyone should now know that the mutilation of girls is prohibited."
Monday, July 25, 2011
Britain continues FGM crackdown
July 25, 2011
Bikyamasr
Johnathan Terry
Amira Yussif is a 16-year-old Sudanese-British teenager. She is typically British in every aspect. She wears trendy jeans, a mini-skirt with tights in the winter, and loves to dance when she has the chance. But for her, her life changed two years ago when her family attempted to force her to return home to be “circumcised.”
“It was horrible,” the young teenager began at a friend’s house where she has been staying for the past two years after running away from her family. “They said it was to protect my honor and dignity until I was married. I tried to explain to them that I am a good girl and that this is not what I wanted.”
When her family purchased plane tickets to Khartoum, Yussif made a move, backing one bag and leaving for school one morning, not to return. Since then, she has lived with a family friend in a London suburb, maintaining her school work and continuing to push on with life.
“It is hard, but I was not going to go through that procedure because I don’t believe it is right in today’s world, whether we are here in Britain or in Sudan,” she told Bikyamasr.com.
She is one of the “lucky” ones who escaped the procedure. With more reports being published of young girls being forced to return home to have what most in the human rights community refer to as female genital mutilation – the cutting of a woman’s genitalia – the British government is pushing back.
Prosecutors across the country have been sent new guidelines to assist in the prosecution of those who try to have their children undergo the procedure.
The Female Genital Mutilation Act of 2003 allows for the prosecution of British citizens who breach the provisions of the act and perform the procedure abroad, often in Africa or the Middle East. While the law appears strict on paper, it appears to have limited practical effect, the a recent report in The Guardian stated.
The British government has investigated more than 100 claims of genital mutilation over the past two years, but there were no convictions. In comparison, French authorities have successfully prosecuted 100 cases.
The practice is “barbaric,” said Jane Ellison, a Tory member of Parliament, who wants the issue taken more seriously.
Ellison called the procedure “a brutal crime perpetrated against those who are least able to protect themselves: little girls and young women.”
“In every case, the health of the girl or woman is damaged, often irreparably,” Ellison said. “What is most shocking of all is that a great many of these criminal acts are perpetrated against girls aged 10 and under, right down to infants.”
Yussif continues to tell the story of a number of friends who have been forced to undergo the procedure and says that she hopes that people do not see it as a religious idea, instead that FGM is believed to be a practice that “guarantees a girl’s honor as she grows up.”
It is “not Islamic, but a cultural practice that through education our societies can hopefully end. It is horrible to think how many people in today’s world have had it done. I love Sudan and my people and this needs to stop,” she added.
Bikyamasr
Johnathan Terry
Amira Yussif is a 16-year-old Sudanese-British teenager. She is typically British in every aspect. She wears trendy jeans, a mini-skirt with tights in the winter, and loves to dance when she has the chance. But for her, her life changed two years ago when her family attempted to force her to return home to be “circumcised.”
“It was horrible,” the young teenager began at a friend’s house where she has been staying for the past two years after running away from her family. “They said it was to protect my honor and dignity until I was married. I tried to explain to them that I am a good girl and that this is not what I wanted.”
When her family purchased plane tickets to Khartoum, Yussif made a move, backing one bag and leaving for school one morning, not to return. Since then, she has lived with a family friend in a London suburb, maintaining her school work and continuing to push on with life.
“It is hard, but I was not going to go through that procedure because I don’t believe it is right in today’s world, whether we are here in Britain or in Sudan,” she told Bikyamasr.com.
She is one of the “lucky” ones who escaped the procedure. With more reports being published of young girls being forced to return home to have what most in the human rights community refer to as female genital mutilation – the cutting of a woman’s genitalia – the British government is pushing back.
Prosecutors across the country have been sent new guidelines to assist in the prosecution of those who try to have their children undergo the procedure.
The Female Genital Mutilation Act of 2003 allows for the prosecution of British citizens who breach the provisions of the act and perform the procedure abroad, often in Africa or the Middle East. While the law appears strict on paper, it appears to have limited practical effect, the a recent report in The Guardian stated.
The British government has investigated more than 100 claims of genital mutilation over the past two years, but there were no convictions. In comparison, French authorities have successfully prosecuted 100 cases.
The practice is “barbaric,” said Jane Ellison, a Tory member of Parliament, who wants the issue taken more seriously.
Ellison called the procedure “a brutal crime perpetrated against those who are least able to protect themselves: little girls and young women.”
“In every case, the health of the girl or woman is damaged, often irreparably,” Ellison said. “What is most shocking of all is that a great many of these criminal acts are perpetrated against girls aged 10 and under, right down to infants.”
Yussif continues to tell the story of a number of friends who have been forced to undergo the procedure and says that she hopes that people do not see it as a religious idea, instead that FGM is believed to be a practice that “guarantees a girl’s honor as she grows up.”
It is “not Islamic, but a cultural practice that through education our societies can hopefully end. It is horrible to think how many people in today’s world have had it done. I love Sudan and my people and this needs to stop,” she added.
Fatal traditions: Female circumcision in the UAE
July 23, 2011
The National
Wafa Al Marzouqi
"I was 8 years old when my mother took me and my sisters to the hospital. I was really terrified because I didn't know what was going on. I entered a white room and was told by the nurse to lie on the bed. A few minutes later, I felt severe pain and then everything ended," Asma Obaid, 21, says about the day her mother took her, together with her five sisters, for "a quick trip".
Female circumcision is a controversial topic in UAE society since people still argue about whether it is recommended Islamically or simply practised because of tribal traditions. A significant number of UAE nationals follow in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents without questioning the practice.
If Islam encourages female circumcision, why do experts consider the practice medically and psychologically harmful to women? Is there any religious text people should refer to? What is the medical point of view? Are there benefits to this practice? Many questions need answers.
Female circumcision originated in Egypt in 100BC, when pharaonic circumcision was established. It is based on the mutilation of the sensitive female genital area, which leaves only a small aperture for the passage of urine and menstruation. This type of female circumcision is still popular in some Arab countries such as Egypt and Sudan. In the Gulf countries, and specifically in the UAE, female circumcision is to some still a tribal tradition and to others a religious tradition. Although it has been banned in Government hospitals, it is still performed secretly in the country. The common type of circumcision in the UAE is the one in which a small portion of the female genitalia is removed.
Opinions on female circumcision vary because of cultural sensitivity and different levels of education. In a Desert Dawn survey of 200 Emiratis of both sexes on the subject, 34 per cent of female respondents said they were circumcised because of customs and tradition. Forty per cent of circumcised female participants were in favour of female circumcision and said they would circumcise their daughters. Eighty-two per cent of female respondents opposed the practice, as did 99 per cent of male participants.
Mariam Humaid, a 21-year-old university student, was 7 when she was taken to the house of her grandmother, who was known for her medical knowledge in the tribe.
"I was feeling every needle prick as I was circumcised without any painkillers," Humaid says. She says that female circumcision is a "must" in her tribe; those who are circumcised will be respected and appreciated while those who are not will be looked down on. "Of course, I will circumcise my daughters and if my husband doesn't like the idea, I will do whatever it takes to persuade him."
Humaid tells the story of her friend, Alia Saeed, 22, who was circumcised against her will when a man proposed to her and made the circumcision a condition of marriage.
"I researched the topic and discovered that if it was done in the correct way, it is all right," Saeed says. So she agreed and married him.
Sara Ali, a 23-year-old university student, was circumcised at the age of 9 with her six sisters at a Government hospital before the ban. One of her sisters was not circumcised after the authorities banned the practice.
"My father didn't like the idea of female circumcision," Ali says, "but the pressure from my grandmother and aunts was greater than his wish." Ali believes female circumcision violates women's rights.
Fatma Essa, a 22-year-old bank employee, is the only circumcised girl in her family, even though she is the youngest. Her mother took her with the mother's friend and daughter to get both daughters circumcised.
"I don't know the reasons behind the circumcision and I don't know whether I am for or against it," she says. "But I'm sure that my mother won't do anything that will cause me harm." She says every mother wants the best for her daughter and so if circumcision were harmful, her mother would not do it.
Mona Ahmed, a 22-year-old student and mother of two boys, says she will circumcise her daughter if she has one. She will do as her mother did to her when she was only two days old.
"In case my husband refused to circumcise our daughter," she says, "I won't object to him because my only objective for circumcising her is to follow the sunnah of the Prophet." She says, however, that if she circumcises her daughter, it will be in the girl's early days and not when she grows up.
On the other hand, Um Reem, a circumcised mother of two girls, did not circumcise her daughters because she believes the practice does not offer any benefits.
"When I know that the damage caused by girls' circumcision is much bigger than its benefits, what's the point of endangering the lives of our daughters?" she asks.
Fatma Al Marzouqi, a 25-year-old in Abu Dhabi, opposes female circumcision, saying it is a violation of women's rights.
"Most people who circumcise their daughters are people who cling to tribal traditions and customs that have nothing to do with religion or medicine," she says.
Agreeing with Al Marzouqi, Maitha Mohammed, a 22-year-old student, encourages the Government to act.
"The authorities must play a better advocacy role," she says. "We are suffering today from the lack of resources and information regarding the circumcision of girls, which prevents individuals from gaining the knowledge about such procedures, especially if it was carried out by unqualified doctors or individuals."
According to the Desert Dawn survey, the vast majority of UAE men agree there is no point to female circumcision, rejecting the idea because of its many disadvantages, especially if it is performed improperly.
Mohammed Ahmed, a 28-year-old bank employee, opposes the practice because, he says, it leads to physical and psychological problems. "Many who circumcise their daughters have misunderstood Islam and most of them perform it due to cultural reasons which do not have anything to do with religion," he says.
Majed Ahmed, a 19-year-old university student, agrees. "The real reasons behind female circumcision are the traditions and customs without referring to the advice of experts," he says. He believes the practice of circumcision is unjust to females.
"Many people are afraid their daughters will misbehave, so they circumcise them," Ahmed says. "Good manners and sticking to real Islamic practices will guide the girls to proper behaviour. Circumcising them won't make them better behaved."
With reference to the origin of female circumcision in Islam, Dr Ahmed Al Haddad, Grand Mufti of the UAE and director of Ifta Department, notes that, historically, Arabs always knew about female circumcision, but only "medicine women" performed the procedure. He quotes the Prophet Mohammed as saying to a woman whom he saw circumcising a girl: "Cut off only the foreskin but don't cut deeply, for this is brighter for the face [of the girl] and more favourable with the husband."
While circumcision is performed on men and women, there is no evidence from the Quran or sunnah requiring female circumcision, says the Grand Mufti. The four Sunni schools of jurisprudence in Islam have slightly different interpretations. The Al Shafi'i school views circumcision as obligatory for both men and women, but on a small scale for women. The Hanbali and Hanafi schools believe female circumcision is desirable, and the Maliki school thinks it is an honour for the girl.
Dr Ahmed Al Qubaisi, former president of the Department of Islamic Studies at the University of Baghdad, and recently at the UAE University, agrees with Al Haddad that circumcision is a personal, not religious, choice. To him, many Muslims do it without any clear evidence from the Quran or sunnah. He cites the significance of the statement released by the United Nations two years ago that prohibits female circumcision and the harm it causes.
"Even if the simplest female circumcision is beneficial to men," Al Qubaisi says, "we should not forget that it may harm the girl physically and psychologically and in Islam we are not allowed to favour one party over the other."
Dr Yusuf Al Qaradawi, an Islamic scholar noted for his study on women's issues in Islam, writing on his website (www.qaradawi.net), rejects the notion that people, including doctors and scholars, support female circumcision to prevent females from committing sins: "Many Muslim countries do not circumcise their women and we do not notice increased levels of females' sinful acts there."
Al Haddad argues that if female circumcision is to be performed, it should be done at birth and not later, which is forbidden in Islam. "It will harm the girl and reveal her private area," he says. Men, however, can be circumcised at any age for hygienic reasons.
Medically speaking, and according to one female doctor who asked not to be identified, male circumcision is a must because it prevents serious infections that could cause diseases such as cancer. She argues, however, that female circumcision is medically unacceptable since there is no benefit to the practice other than reducing the female's sexual desire. Pharaonic circumcision, in fact, can be deadly as it may cause bleeding and infections during intercourse or while giving birth.
The role of the Government in putting an end to this fatal tradition is being questioned and a clarification is needed on the legality of female circumcision in the country. If it is banned in Government hospitals, why is it performed in other health facilities? Many health officials refused to talk about female circumcision, preferring to keep silent. But how effective is that?
The National
Wafa Al Marzouqi
"I was 8 years old when my mother took me and my sisters to the hospital. I was really terrified because I didn't know what was going on. I entered a white room and was told by the nurse to lie on the bed. A few minutes later, I felt severe pain and then everything ended," Asma Obaid, 21, says about the day her mother took her, together with her five sisters, for "a quick trip".
Female circumcision is a controversial topic in UAE society since people still argue about whether it is recommended Islamically or simply practised because of tribal traditions. A significant number of UAE nationals follow in the footsteps of their parents and grandparents without questioning the practice.
If Islam encourages female circumcision, why do experts consider the practice medically and psychologically harmful to women? Is there any religious text people should refer to? What is the medical point of view? Are there benefits to this practice? Many questions need answers.
Female circumcision originated in Egypt in 100BC, when pharaonic circumcision was established. It is based on the mutilation of the sensitive female genital area, which leaves only a small aperture for the passage of urine and menstruation. This type of female circumcision is still popular in some Arab countries such as Egypt and Sudan. In the Gulf countries, and specifically in the UAE, female circumcision is to some still a tribal tradition and to others a religious tradition. Although it has been banned in Government hospitals, it is still performed secretly in the country. The common type of circumcision in the UAE is the one in which a small portion of the female genitalia is removed.
Opinions on female circumcision vary because of cultural sensitivity and different levels of education. In a Desert Dawn survey of 200 Emiratis of both sexes on the subject, 34 per cent of female respondents said they were circumcised because of customs and tradition. Forty per cent of circumcised female participants were in favour of female circumcision and said they would circumcise their daughters. Eighty-two per cent of female respondents opposed the practice, as did 99 per cent of male participants.
Mariam Humaid, a 21-year-old university student, was 7 when she was taken to the house of her grandmother, who was known for her medical knowledge in the tribe.
"I was feeling every needle prick as I was circumcised without any painkillers," Humaid says. She says that female circumcision is a "must" in her tribe; those who are circumcised will be respected and appreciated while those who are not will be looked down on. "Of course, I will circumcise my daughters and if my husband doesn't like the idea, I will do whatever it takes to persuade him."
Humaid tells the story of her friend, Alia Saeed, 22, who was circumcised against her will when a man proposed to her and made the circumcision a condition of marriage.
"I researched the topic and discovered that if it was done in the correct way, it is all right," Saeed says. So she agreed and married him.
Sara Ali, a 23-year-old university student, was circumcised at the age of 9 with her six sisters at a Government hospital before the ban. One of her sisters was not circumcised after the authorities banned the practice.
"My father didn't like the idea of female circumcision," Ali says, "but the pressure from my grandmother and aunts was greater than his wish." Ali believes female circumcision violates women's rights.
Fatma Essa, a 22-year-old bank employee, is the only circumcised girl in her family, even though she is the youngest. Her mother took her with the mother's friend and daughter to get both daughters circumcised.
"I don't know the reasons behind the circumcision and I don't know whether I am for or against it," she says. "But I'm sure that my mother won't do anything that will cause me harm." She says every mother wants the best for her daughter and so if circumcision were harmful, her mother would not do it.
Mona Ahmed, a 22-year-old student and mother of two boys, says she will circumcise her daughter if she has one. She will do as her mother did to her when she was only two days old.
"In case my husband refused to circumcise our daughter," she says, "I won't object to him because my only objective for circumcising her is to follow the sunnah of the Prophet." She says, however, that if she circumcises her daughter, it will be in the girl's early days and not when she grows up.
On the other hand, Um Reem, a circumcised mother of two girls, did not circumcise her daughters because she believes the practice does not offer any benefits.
"When I know that the damage caused by girls' circumcision is much bigger than its benefits, what's the point of endangering the lives of our daughters?" she asks.
Fatma Al Marzouqi, a 25-year-old in Abu Dhabi, opposes female circumcision, saying it is a violation of women's rights.
"Most people who circumcise their daughters are people who cling to tribal traditions and customs that have nothing to do with religion or medicine," she says.
Agreeing with Al Marzouqi, Maitha Mohammed, a 22-year-old student, encourages the Government to act.
"The authorities must play a better advocacy role," she says. "We are suffering today from the lack of resources and information regarding the circumcision of girls, which prevents individuals from gaining the knowledge about such procedures, especially if it was carried out by unqualified doctors or individuals."
According to the Desert Dawn survey, the vast majority of UAE men agree there is no point to female circumcision, rejecting the idea because of its many disadvantages, especially if it is performed improperly.
Mohammed Ahmed, a 28-year-old bank employee, opposes the practice because, he says, it leads to physical and psychological problems. "Many who circumcise their daughters have misunderstood Islam and most of them perform it due to cultural reasons which do not have anything to do with religion," he says.
Majed Ahmed, a 19-year-old university student, agrees. "The real reasons behind female circumcision are the traditions and customs without referring to the advice of experts," he says. He believes the practice of circumcision is unjust to females.
"Many people are afraid their daughters will misbehave, so they circumcise them," Ahmed says. "Good manners and sticking to real Islamic practices will guide the girls to proper behaviour. Circumcising them won't make them better behaved."
With reference to the origin of female circumcision in Islam, Dr Ahmed Al Haddad, Grand Mufti of the UAE and director of Ifta Department, notes that, historically, Arabs always knew about female circumcision, but only "medicine women" performed the procedure. He quotes the Prophet Mohammed as saying to a woman whom he saw circumcising a girl: "Cut off only the foreskin but don't cut deeply, for this is brighter for the face [of the girl] and more favourable with the husband."
While circumcision is performed on men and women, there is no evidence from the Quran or sunnah requiring female circumcision, says the Grand Mufti. The four Sunni schools of jurisprudence in Islam have slightly different interpretations. The Al Shafi'i school views circumcision as obligatory for both men and women, but on a small scale for women. The Hanbali and Hanafi schools believe female circumcision is desirable, and the Maliki school thinks it is an honour for the girl.
Dr Ahmed Al Qubaisi, former president of the Department of Islamic Studies at the University of Baghdad, and recently at the UAE University, agrees with Al Haddad that circumcision is a personal, not religious, choice. To him, many Muslims do it without any clear evidence from the Quran or sunnah. He cites the significance of the statement released by the United Nations two years ago that prohibits female circumcision and the harm it causes.
"Even if the simplest female circumcision is beneficial to men," Al Qubaisi says, "we should not forget that it may harm the girl physically and psychologically and in Islam we are not allowed to favour one party over the other."
Dr Yusuf Al Qaradawi, an Islamic scholar noted for his study on women's issues in Islam, writing on his website (www.qaradawi.net), rejects the notion that people, including doctors and scholars, support female circumcision to prevent females from committing sins: "Many Muslim countries do not circumcise their women and we do not notice increased levels of females' sinful acts there."
Al Haddad argues that if female circumcision is to be performed, it should be done at birth and not later, which is forbidden in Islam. "It will harm the girl and reveal her private area," he says. Men, however, can be circumcised at any age for hygienic reasons.
Medically speaking, and according to one female doctor who asked not to be identified, male circumcision is a must because it prevents serious infections that could cause diseases such as cancer. She argues, however, that female circumcision is medically unacceptable since there is no benefit to the practice other than reducing the female's sexual desire. Pharaonic circumcision, in fact, can be deadly as it may cause bleeding and infections during intercourse or while giving birth.
The role of the Government in putting an end to this fatal tradition is being questioned and a clarification is needed on the legality of female circumcision in the country. If it is banned in Government hospitals, why is it performed in other health facilities? Many health officials refused to talk about female circumcision, preferring to keep silent. But how effective is that?
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Jury Delivers Guilty Verdict For Perpetrators of FGM in Liberia
July 16, 2011
GRW Newswire
On 8th of July 2011, the case of Ruth Berry Peal, who was abducted and forcedly genitally mutilated by two women of the Gola community, was concluded after one month of hearings with a verdict of “guilty” by the jury on charges of kidnapping, felonious restraint and theft. The sentencing of the two women will take place this week by the judge, who in closing made references to the Liberian Constitution and Article 4(1) of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (African Women’s Protocol), which states “Every woman shall be entitled to respect for her life and the integrity and security of her person. All forms of exploitation, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and treatment shall be prohibited.”
On 8 July 2011, the case of Ruth Berry Peal, who was abducted and forcedly genitally mutilated by two women of the Gola community, was concluded after one month of hearings with a verdict of “guilty” by the jury on charges of kidnapping, felonious restraint and theft. The sentencing of the two women will take place this week by the judge, who in closing made references to the Liberian Constitution and Article 4(1) of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (African Women’s Protocol), which states “Every woman shall be entitled to respect for her life and the integrity and security of her person. All forms of exploitation, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and treatment shall be prohibited.”
Equality Now and its Liberian partners, the Women of Liberia Peace Network (WOLPNET) and Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), welcome the jury’s decision and are eagerly awaiting the sentencing of the perpetrators. Equality Now launched an international campaign calling for justice for Ruth and urging Liberia to criminalize female genital mutilation (FGM), which it has an obligation to do so under Article 5 of African Women’s Protocol ratified by Liberia in December 2007 (click here to view the campaign).
In response to advocacy efforts of Liberian groups and Equality Now, Ruth’s case was moved from Bomi to Monrovia, away from the influence of the Gola community that upholds the harmful traditional practice of FGM. Una Kumba Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of WOLPNET says “women look up to the judiciary for justice and Liberia is obliged under Article 8(a) of the African Women’s Protocol to ensure effective access to judicial and legal services and so we are very pleased about the support the government has provided Ruth Peal in exercising her right to seek justice”.
The prevalence rate of FGM in Liberia is estimated at a staggering 58 percent of women and girls. Most undergo this practice as part of their initiation into the Sande society. Faiza Mohamed, Equality Now Nairobi Office Director, stated, “The swiftness in which the government acted to ensure Ruth gets justice is exemplary; however the government needs to demonstrate leadership in eliminating FGM, including by enacting legislation to protect girls and women from this human rights violation.”
Equality Now and its partners continue to urge the government of Liberia to take expeditious action to protect girls and women from female genital mutilation, and, to this end, call on the Liberian government to stop issuing permits to the FGM practitioners, to initiate the process towards enactment of a law criminalizing FGM and to invest in public education against the practice.
Equality Now and its Liberian partners, the Women of Liberia Peace Network (WOLPNET) and Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), welcome the jury’s decision and are eagerly awaiting the sentencing of the perpetrators. Equality Now launched an international campaign calling for justice for Ruth and urging Liberia to criminalize female genital mutilation (FGM), which it has an obligation to do so under Article 5 of African Women’s Protocol ratified by Liberia in December 2007 (click here to view the campaign).
In response to advocacy efforts of Liberian groups and Equality Now, Ruth’s case was moved from Bomi to Monrovia, away from the influence of the Gola community that upholds the harmful traditional practice of FGM. Una Kumba Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of WOLPNET says “women look up to the judiciary for justice and Liberia is obliged under Article 8(a) of the African Women’s Protocol to ensure effective access to judicial and legal services and so we are very pleased about the support the government has provided Ruth Peal in exercising her right to seek justice”.
The prevalence rate of FGM in Liberia is estimated at a staggering 58 percent of women and girls. Most undergo this practice as part of their initiation into the Sande society. Faiza Mohamed, Equality Now Nairobi Office Director, stated, “The swiftness in which the government acted to ensure Ruth gets justice is exemplary; however the government needs to demonstrate leadership in eliminating FGM, including by enacting legislation to protect girls and women from this human rights violation.”
Equality Now and its partners continue to urge the government of Liberia to take expeditious action to protect girls and women from female genital mutilation, and, to this end, call on the Liberian government to stop issuing permits to the FGM practitioners, to initiate the process towards enactment of a law criminalizing FGM and to invest in public education against the practice.
GRW Newswire
On 8th of July 2011, the case of Ruth Berry Peal, who was abducted and forcedly genitally mutilated by two women of the Gola community, was concluded after one month of hearings with a verdict of “guilty” by the jury on charges of kidnapping, felonious restraint and theft. The sentencing of the two women will take place this week by the judge, who in closing made references to the Liberian Constitution and Article 4(1) of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (African Women’s Protocol), which states “Every woman shall be entitled to respect for her life and the integrity and security of her person. All forms of exploitation, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and treatment shall be prohibited.”
On 8 July 2011, the case of Ruth Berry Peal, who was abducted and forcedly genitally mutilated by two women of the Gola community, was concluded after one month of hearings with a verdict of “guilty” by the jury on charges of kidnapping, felonious restraint and theft. The sentencing of the two women will take place this week by the judge, who in closing made references to the Liberian Constitution and Article 4(1) of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (African Women’s Protocol), which states “Every woman shall be entitled to respect for her life and the integrity and security of her person. All forms of exploitation, cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment and treatment shall be prohibited.”
Equality Now and its Liberian partners, the Women of Liberia Peace Network (WOLPNET) and Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), welcome the jury’s decision and are eagerly awaiting the sentencing of the perpetrators. Equality Now launched an international campaign calling for justice for Ruth and urging Liberia to criminalize female genital mutilation (FGM), which it has an obligation to do so under Article 5 of African Women’s Protocol ratified by Liberia in December 2007 (click here to view the campaign).
In response to advocacy efforts of Liberian groups and Equality Now, Ruth’s case was moved from Bomi to Monrovia, away from the influence of the Gola community that upholds the harmful traditional practice of FGM. Una Kumba Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of WOLPNET says “women look up to the judiciary for justice and Liberia is obliged under Article 8(a) of the African Women’s Protocol to ensure effective access to judicial and legal services and so we are very pleased about the support the government has provided Ruth Peal in exercising her right to seek justice”.
The prevalence rate of FGM in Liberia is estimated at a staggering 58 percent of women and girls. Most undergo this practice as part of their initiation into the Sande society. Faiza Mohamed, Equality Now Nairobi Office Director, stated, “The swiftness in which the government acted to ensure Ruth gets justice is exemplary; however the government needs to demonstrate leadership in eliminating FGM, including by enacting legislation to protect girls and women from this human rights violation.”
Equality Now and its partners continue to urge the government of Liberia to take expeditious action to protect girls and women from female genital mutilation, and, to this end, call on the Liberian government to stop issuing permits to the FGM practitioners, to initiate the process towards enactment of a law criminalizing FGM and to invest in public education against the practice.
Equality Now and its Liberian partners, the Women of Liberia Peace Network (WOLPNET) and Women NGOs Secretariat of Liberia (WONGOSOL), welcome the jury’s decision and are eagerly awaiting the sentencing of the perpetrators. Equality Now launched an international campaign calling for justice for Ruth and urging Liberia to criminalize female genital mutilation (FGM), which it has an obligation to do so under Article 5 of African Women’s Protocol ratified by Liberia in December 2007 (click here to view the campaign).
In response to advocacy efforts of Liberian groups and Equality Now, Ruth’s case was moved from Bomi to Monrovia, away from the influence of the Gola community that upholds the harmful traditional practice of FGM. Una Kumba Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of WOLPNET says “women look up to the judiciary for justice and Liberia is obliged under Article 8(a) of the African Women’s Protocol to ensure effective access to judicial and legal services and so we are very pleased about the support the government has provided Ruth Peal in exercising her right to seek justice”.
The prevalence rate of FGM in Liberia is estimated at a staggering 58 percent of women and girls. Most undergo this practice as part of their initiation into the Sande society. Faiza Mohamed, Equality Now Nairobi Office Director, stated, “The swiftness in which the government acted to ensure Ruth gets justice is exemplary; however the government needs to demonstrate leadership in eliminating FGM, including by enacting legislation to protect girls and women from this human rights violation.”
Equality Now and its partners continue to urge the government of Liberia to take expeditious action to protect girls and women from female genital mutilation, and, to this end, call on the Liberian government to stop issuing permits to the FGM practitioners, to initiate the process towards enactment of a law criminalizing FGM and to invest in public education against the practice.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Kenya: Ill Chamus Community Declares War Against Female Circumcision
July 14, 2011
Nairobi Star
Pauline Odhiambo
For Sh2,000 per girl, 50-year-old Nchoo Ngochila would move from one village to the next circumcising up to 20 girls in a day.
Her tools of trade a rusty piece of metal cut out from mabati (iron sheet roofing) then bent and filed to a cutting edge. This she would sometimes alternate with a razor blade but would on most occasions prefer mabati which she claims is more efficient for female circumcision.
Today, Ngochila sells mandazi (doughnuts) to schoolgoing children in Marigat District in the Rift Valley Province where she has lived all her life. She stopped circumcising young girls two years ago after attending an FGM seminar where she discovered that obstructed labour was among the effects of female genital cutting. "It is difficult to give birth when you have been circumcised and I say this from my own experience in giving birth," says the wizened Ngochila who looks much older than her 50 years. "From that seminar, I learned that labour pain is less severe for women who haven't been circumcised; they give birth quicker and easier compared to those of us who have been circumcised."
With three children in secondary school, Ngochila says she now finds it harder to pay their school fees but is nonetheless adamant that she will not fall back to circumcising any more girls for a living. "Nowadays I barely make enough money for food but that's okay because I agreed to stop circumcising girls for a good reason. Plus, my children are Christians now and they are against me cutting any more girls."
Like Ngochila, a growing number of people from the Ill Chamus community in Marigat are progressively shunning the idea of female genital mutilation. The area chief Francis ole Kiprich says that at least 40 per cent of the 40,000 plus members of the Ill Chamus community members have ceased circumcising their daughters. This has led to a marked rise in the education levels for girls within the region where just over 10 girls have made it to university level.
However, uncircumcised girls are still widely shunned by a community that perceives them as childish due to their uncircumcised state. "Among the Ill Chamus, a girl is recognised as an adult only after she has been circumcised. It is the only way she can earn the respect of the community and participate in traditional ceremonies."
Indeed, 20-year old Janet Nang'oi is living proof of the stigma uncircumcised girls face in Marigat. In 2003, Nang'oi dodged circumcision by hiding out in the bush during an initiation ceremony where she was to be circumcised together with her sister and other girls in her village. She has since become the butt of cruel jokes by her age mates and younger siblings who now deem her too "immature " for their company. She says, "My brothers won't even let me cook for them or wash their clothes because they say I'm a child who cannot be trusted even with the most basic of chores. Even when I go to fetch water, my age mates refuse to walk with me because they are embarrassed to be seen with me."
In spite of the stigma, Nang'oi pushed on with her studies and is now an education major at the Egerton University, Njoro campus. Most of the girls she was to be circumcised with in the same group soon after dropped out of school to get married.
Ole Kiprich explains that FGM is leading cause of low education levels among girls in Marigat as many are unable to continue with their studies once they are married as was the case for 40-year-old Nasaru Kiriampu who was circumcised and married off at 13.
Kiriampu became the fourth wife to an old man with whom she bore children albeit with some difficulty during labour. However, in the recent years, Kiriampu has learned more about the dangers of circumcision but still believes it to be part and parcel of life in Marigat. With a hint of irony in her voice, Kiriampu says, "One of my daughters is now in secondary school and I tell her to wait till she finishes university to get circumcised but I know the more she gets educated the more she will be reluctant to get circumcised." With the assistance of church organizations and NGOs set up within the region, Kiriampu has joined a women's group which urges girls to advance their studies before undergoing circumcision.
"I've seen many cases of babies getting stuck in the birth canal during labour and their mothers have to be rushed to Kabarnet hospital where they can deliver safely and with the assistance of doctors." She observes that with education more girls are avoiding circumcision and thus may avoid obstructed labour when they are of age.
On June 24, Kiriampu, Nang'oi and Ole Kiprich were among hundreds of people to sign a public declaration on the abandonment of female genital mutilation at the Ill Chamus Cultural Centre in Marigat District. The ceremony was presided over by Dr James Nyikal, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development.
However, even as the ink dries on that declaration, it would be wishful-thinking to claim that female circumcision has been completely wiped out in Marigat as Ole Kiprich reveals that most circumcision ceremonies today take place in secret for fear of arrests by the local administration.
Nonetheless, many of the residents have taken up advocacy against FGM in favour of education which they believe will help decrease poverty levels among the Ill Chamus of Marigat.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Uganda: Churches Join the Fight Against FGM Practice
July 7, 2011
The Monitor
Steven Ariong
Several churches from Kapchorwa and Bukwo districts have joined hands with the Inter African Committee Uganda (IACU), a Non Government Organisation(NGO) based in Kapchorwa and Reproductive, Educative Community Health (REACH) another area NGO to fight Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Sebei and Pokot regions.
Pastor Francis Sawenge Kotil of deliverance church in Bukwo district said, the practice of female genital mutilation is a covenant and the blood that a woman bleeds after undergoing through the practice is a curse. "We claim it's our practice but biblicalically it's wrong, therefore the churches must come in full to fight against it," he said while delivering his message to the congregation in Bukwo last week.
Mr Geoffrey Sande, the Programme coordinator, Inter African Committee Uganda(IACU) believes that the fight against the FGM practice in Sebei will now succeed since the churches have also come openly to support the fight. "We have taken long trying to eradicate this practice in Sebei because we were not fully supported by churches but now since the church leaders have also come in to join us, it will help us now to fight the practice," he said.
Ms Beatrice Chelangat, the director of REACH programme in Kapchorwa, which also fights the practice said that the practice may take a while to die in Kapchorwa and Pokot because of the on going practive in neighbouring Kenya. She said most parents sneak with their children into Kenya to carry out the practice and return. "We are experiencing that challenge because in Uganda the law is becoming hot, now the rest of the parents cross to Kenya," she said. She appealed to the Kenyan government to help and reject the practice so that if the Sabiny from Kapchorwa or the Pokot of Amudat cross into Kenya to practice,they must be arrested.
Female Genital Mutilation is the partial or total removal of the female clitoris. Authorities say the number of girls mutilated in 2011 increased from 550 to 820 in 2008, lending credence to the fact that the practice is still alive despite its ban in 2010. Offenders of the practice face 10 years in prison, but if the girl dies during the act, those involved get life sentence.
The Monitor
Steven Ariong
Several churches from Kapchorwa and Bukwo districts have joined hands with the Inter African Committee Uganda (IACU), a Non Government Organisation(NGO) based in Kapchorwa and Reproductive, Educative Community Health (REACH) another area NGO to fight Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Sebei and Pokot regions.
Pastor Francis Sawenge Kotil of deliverance church in Bukwo district said, the practice of female genital mutilation is a covenant and the blood that a woman bleeds after undergoing through the practice is a curse. "We claim it's our practice but biblicalically it's wrong, therefore the churches must come in full to fight against it," he said while delivering his message to the congregation in Bukwo last week.
Mr Geoffrey Sande, the Programme coordinator, Inter African Committee Uganda(IACU) believes that the fight against the FGM practice in Sebei will now succeed since the churches have also come openly to support the fight. "We have taken long trying to eradicate this practice in Sebei because we were not fully supported by churches but now since the church leaders have also come in to join us, it will help us now to fight the practice," he said.
Ms Beatrice Chelangat, the director of REACH programme in Kapchorwa, which also fights the practice said that the practice may take a while to die in Kapchorwa and Pokot because of the on going practive in neighbouring Kenya. She said most parents sneak with their children into Kenya to carry out the practice and return. "We are experiencing that challenge because in Uganda the law is becoming hot, now the rest of the parents cross to Kenya," she said. She appealed to the Kenyan government to help and reject the practice so that if the Sabiny from Kapchorwa or the Pokot of Amudat cross into Kenya to practice,they must be arrested.
Female Genital Mutilation is the partial or total removal of the female clitoris. Authorities say the number of girls mutilated in 2011 increased from 550 to 820 in 2008, lending credence to the fact that the practice is still alive despite its ban in 2010. Offenders of the practice face 10 years in prison, but if the girl dies during the act, those involved get life sentence.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
GAMCOTRAP celebrates the 3rd Dropping of the Knife in the Gambia and the 1st ever in the Lower River Region
July 6, 2011
The Point
GAMCOTRAP has successfully completed a three year project in the Lower River Region of The Gambia in the campaign to eradicate FGM with constant support from ODAM, a Spanish NGO from Astruria. The outcome of the successful project implemented has resulted to Circumcisers in the region accepting to stop FGM and make a public declaration with their communities.
According to a press release from Gamcotrap, twenty (20) Circumcisers will be celebrated as the “Sheriones Against FGM” on Saturday, 9th July 2011 at Soma, LRR. This will be the third dropping of the Knife celebration organized by GAMCOTRAP since 2007.
In 2008, an Asturian based women’ rights organization, ODAM ONGD, focus on culture and development started partnership with GAMCOTRAP on a three year project titled “Training Information Campaign to Eradicate Female Genital Mutilation.”
Since 2009, over twenty (20) sensitization and advocacy activities have been undertaken under the project period 2009-2011 with support from the chiefs, Area Council, Office of the Governor, women leaders, community based facilitators and the wider communities in Jarra and Kiang.
The project reached circumcisers and traditional birth attendants, community leaders (Chiefs, Alkalolu and Imams), women leaders, women of reproductive age and youths (male and female) and traditional communicators.
Apart from reaching out to communities in the region, institutions such as the Security and the Local Government Authorities from different Units in the region were also trained on gender based violence and the realization that FGM violates the rights of the child and the bodily integrity of women.
At the institutional level, Local government structures, Coalition of Institutions against FGM and Select Committees on health, and Women and Children also benefitted from the ODAM project.
Through a series of consultations with the Chiefs, women leader and the office of the Governor in the Lower River Region, and twenty Circumcisers from Jarra and Kiang have been trained over the years and their capacity built on Alternative Employment Opportunities in their communities where they can earn income rather than cutting girls in the name of tradition.
Over 1600 people have directly benefitted from the training programmes supported by the Oviedo Council and Axencia Asturiana de Cooperación al Desarrollu (Asturian Agency of Cooperation for Development) through ODAM ONGD in Spain. This has a multipier effect of reaching at least eight thousand (8,000) people indirectly in the region and has also reached the Spanish citizenship by means advocacy and awareness creation through different campaigns and media coverage.
The project has resulted into awareness about the effects FGM has on women, the rights of women and children, and the realization that culture is dynamic and changes overtime. The project has also created the opportunity for participants from the six districts of Jarra and Kiang to realize that FGM is not an obligation on Muslim women but a mere traditional practice. It has been realized that FGM has a negative impact on the sexual and reproductive health of women and they have come to consensus to stop the practice. The project period also created the opportunity for advocacy for a law against FGM.
Local community radio and reporters from different media houses have given full support to the project implementation and GAMCOTRAP would like to thank them for their contributions.
GAMCOTRAP would like to thank the Government of The Gambia for creating the enabling environment for reaching out to the people and empower them with information to make the right choices and decision.
“Also special thanks to UNFPA, Global Fund for Women and the American Embassy Women for Action Project whose support made it possible to reach out to some of the targets the ODAM project could not reach in the Lower River Region. Indeed, thank you ODAM ONGD and Partners in Spain for providing the support and to the people of the Lower River Region for accepting that Together We Can! Join us to celebrate yet another milestone in the protection of girls from FGM in The Gambia.”
The Point
GAMCOTRAP has successfully completed a three year project in the Lower River Region of The Gambia in the campaign to eradicate FGM with constant support from ODAM, a Spanish NGO from Astruria. The outcome of the successful project implemented has resulted to Circumcisers in the region accepting to stop FGM and make a public declaration with their communities.
According to a press release from Gamcotrap, twenty (20) Circumcisers will be celebrated as the “Sheriones Against FGM” on Saturday, 9th July 2011 at Soma, LRR. This will be the third dropping of the Knife celebration organized by GAMCOTRAP since 2007.
In 2008, an Asturian based women’ rights organization, ODAM ONGD, focus on culture and development started partnership with GAMCOTRAP on a three year project titled “Training Information Campaign to Eradicate Female Genital Mutilation.”
Since 2009, over twenty (20) sensitization and advocacy activities have been undertaken under the project period 2009-2011 with support from the chiefs, Area Council, Office of the Governor, women leaders, community based facilitators and the wider communities in Jarra and Kiang.
The project reached circumcisers and traditional birth attendants, community leaders (Chiefs, Alkalolu and Imams), women leaders, women of reproductive age and youths (male and female) and traditional communicators.
Apart from reaching out to communities in the region, institutions such as the Security and the Local Government Authorities from different Units in the region were also trained on gender based violence and the realization that FGM violates the rights of the child and the bodily integrity of women.
At the institutional level, Local government structures, Coalition of Institutions against FGM and Select Committees on health, and Women and Children also benefitted from the ODAM project.
Through a series of consultations with the Chiefs, women leader and the office of the Governor in the Lower River Region, and twenty Circumcisers from Jarra and Kiang have been trained over the years and their capacity built on Alternative Employment Opportunities in their communities where they can earn income rather than cutting girls in the name of tradition.
Over 1600 people have directly benefitted from the training programmes supported by the Oviedo Council and Axencia Asturiana de Cooperación al Desarrollu (Asturian Agency of Cooperation for Development) through ODAM ONGD in Spain. This has a multipier effect of reaching at least eight thousand (8,000) people indirectly in the region and has also reached the Spanish citizenship by means advocacy and awareness creation through different campaigns and media coverage.
The project has resulted into awareness about the effects FGM has on women, the rights of women and children, and the realization that culture is dynamic and changes overtime. The project has also created the opportunity for participants from the six districts of Jarra and Kiang to realize that FGM is not an obligation on Muslim women but a mere traditional practice. It has been realized that FGM has a negative impact on the sexual and reproductive health of women and they have come to consensus to stop the practice. The project period also created the opportunity for advocacy for a law against FGM.
Local community radio and reporters from different media houses have given full support to the project implementation and GAMCOTRAP would like to thank them for their contributions.
GAMCOTRAP would like to thank the Government of The Gambia for creating the enabling environment for reaching out to the people and empower them with information to make the right choices and decision.
“Also special thanks to UNFPA, Global Fund for Women and the American Embassy Women for Action Project whose support made it possible to reach out to some of the targets the ODAM project could not reach in the Lower River Region. Indeed, thank you ODAM ONGD and Partners in Spain for providing the support and to the people of the Lower River Region for accepting that Together We Can! Join us to celebrate yet another milestone in the protection of girls from FGM in The Gambia.”
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