By The Point
Over 200 representatives convened on October 21st, at the WEC Mission Camp in Kampant, Western Region for a 2-day workshop to reinforce dialogue between ex-circumcisers and practising circumcisers and their assistants for an accelerated total abandonment of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in the Gambia. The workshop, which was organized by the Foundation for Research on Women's Health, Productivity, and the Environment (BAFROW), supported by UNFPA, timely coincided with the 4th Annual Congress of BAFROW's Association of Ex-circumcisers. Coming from around the country, a number of partners attended the ceremony, among which included Members of the Association of Ex- circumcisors, practising circumcisers and their assistants, BAFROW health promoters and health mobilizers, members of the coalition against FGM/C, members of BAFROW's Board of Directors, the Women's Bureau, network of journalists, community leaders, women's leaders, and religious leaders.
Following a march pass by members of the Association to start off the meeting, the Director of BAFROW, Ms. Fatou Waggeh, in her Welcoming Remarks expressed BAFROW's heartfelt appreciation of UNFPA's support. Ms. Waggeh assured UNFPA that BAFROW will do its best to "make good use of the support to achieve [its] goals." The Director appealed to practising circumcisers and their assistants to seize this opportunity to listen to and learn from the workshop. She also encouraged the Association members to use the workshop time to discuss ways of enhancing the Association and its interventions. Ms. Waggeh especially emphasized the importance of active participation by the assistants of practising circumcisers as they tend to become successors in the trade. "It is therefore vital," she stated "that they have a very good understanding of the health and human rights aspects of FGM/C for behaviour change." [...]
