1. Hey guys… I’m Lauryn and I’ll be your co-host for today’s #EndCutttingGirls Twitter conference
  2. I will handover to the host @chukwubueze_n at 5:45pm
  3. We will be taking questions for today’s twitter conference at 6:45pm
  4. Topic: Collaboration between Implementing Agencies: As a key strategy for Ending FGM/C in this Generation.
  5. Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
  6. The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women.
  7. Procedures can cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections,
  8. FGM may also cause complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths.
  9. FGM is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and age 15.
  10. 25 per cent Nigerian women have undergone FGM
  11. FGM is widely practiced in Nigeria, where an estimated 19.9 million Nigerian women representing 25 per cent of women in Nigeria have undergone the procedure (DHS, 2013)
  12. The practice is mostly carried out by traditional circumcisers, who often play other central roles in communities, such as attending childbirths.
  13. In many settings, health care providers perform FGM due to the erroneous belief that the procedure is safer when medicalized
  14. It is true that tradition and culture are important aspects of any society in helping to mould the views and behavioural patterns of the society; some practices like FGM are harmful and must be abolished.
  15. Since 1997, great efforts have been made to counteract FGM, through research, work within communities, and changes in public policy. Progress at international, national and sub-national levels
  16. A multidisciplinary approach is needed to tackle this deep-rooted legendary practice of FGM.
  17. In 2007, UNFPA and UNICEF initiated the Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting to accelerate the abandonment of the practice.
  18. In 2008, WHO together with 9 other United Nations partners, issued a statement on the elimination of FGM to support increased advocacy for its abandonment, called: “Eliminating FGM: an interagency statement”.
  19. As a part of UNFPA’s approach to FGM, Networks of religious leaders, parliamentarians, non-governmental organizations, youth and human rights activist are supporting the campaign.
  20. The more educated, more informed, and more active socially and economically a woman is, the more she is able to appreciate and understand the hazards of harmful practices like FGM
  21. A well-educated woman sees FGM as unnecessary procedure and refuses to accept such harmful practice and refuses to subject her daughter to such an operation.
  22. With improvement in education and social status of women and increased awareness of complications of FGM.
  23. Understanding the groups at risk would also help in establishing the ideal organizaations and groups for partnership
  24. Procedures are mostly carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and adolescence, and occasionally on adult women.
  25. Although FGM is not required by any religious script, 15% of women and 23.6% of men believe it is required by their religion.
  26. Religious leaders take varying positions with regard to FGM: some promote it, some consider it irrelevant to religion, and others contribute to its elimination.
  27. The support of religious leaders, groups and institutions cannot be overemphasized
  28. Where FGM is a social convention (social norm), working with social influencers and local leaders for the reorientation on motivations around the practice is paramount
  29. In most societies, where FGM is practised, it is considered a cultural tradition, which is often used as an argument for its continuation.
  30. Local structures of power and authority, such as community leaders, religious leaders, circumcisers, and even some medical personnel can contribute to upholding the practice.
  31. Research shows that, if practicing communities themselves decide to abandon FGM, the practice can be eliminated very rapidly.
  32. Civil society organizations have been engaged and strengthened to implement community-led education and dialogue sessions on human rights and health.
  33. These networks are helping a growing number of communities declare their abandonment of FGM.
  34. A shift has occurred among religious leaders, many of whom have gone from endorsing the practice to actively condemning it.
  35. There has been a growing number of public declarations de-linking FGM from religion and supporting of abandonment of the practice.
  36. The process of social change in the community with a collective, coordinated agreement to abandon the practice “community-led action” is therefore essential
  37. At this point I will welcome the host @chukwubueze_n to conclude the rest of the conference.
  38. Thank you very much @ for your well prepared session.

 

  1. With UNFPA technical guidance and support, there has been a surge in activities to strengthen the role of public health services in preventing FGM and in treating its victims and mitigating its negative effects on women’s health.
  2. Health workers have been trained to treat complications caused by FGM, including the integration of FGM care into medical education curriculum.
  3. Referral systems that build coordination between between health providers and community actors and organizations have also been strengthened.
  4. Several countries have passed new national legislation banning FGM and developed national policies with concrete steps to achieve the abandonment of FGM.
  5. Radio networks have aired call-in shows about the harm caused by FGM.
  6. The use of media to galvanize public opinion against the practice has helped change perceptions and transformed public perceptions of girls who remain uncut.
  7. In Nigeria FGM is a punishable offense. The importance of reporting is therefore of importance in curbing this practice
  8. The roles of security agencies and organizations must also be noted and included in intervention programmes
  9. Like we all know, there are a lot of implementing agencies which when collaboration is done will yield more strength in eradicating FGM.
  10. For such collaboration to be effective partnership agencies must implement it’s internal FGM policy
  11. All agencies must provide training of there staff on FGM
  12. Commissioners to work with providers to develop an integrated approach in tackling FGM
  13. There should be activities to seek feedback from service users and survivors through community base activities.
  14. All partners are to work together with the statutory voluntary and community sectors
  15. The partners are to do the following….
  16. Share best practice of ending FGM
  17. Agree local outcome
  18. Provide effective support for survivor.
  19. Agencies must work in partnership to prosecute those responsible for the FGM practice
  20. All practitioners provide appropriate safeguarding response to FGM
  21. All practitioners must be competent and confident in the response to FGM
  22. The Legislation should request that child protection services are incorporated into the national plan
  23. Legislation should require that the state draft and implement a national plan and strategy to eliminate FGM.
  24. We have come to the end of our twitter conference for today
  25. At this point we will now entertain questions.