FGM/C is a harmful practice involving the full or partial removal to a girl's external genitals. Every year, 4.3 million girls are cut. This human rights violation can bring severe and life-long physical and mental health impacts, as well as claiming the lives of 44,000 girls every year. The Somali community has the highest prevalence of FGM/C in the world, currently at 99.2%, as well as the world's highest rate of the most dangerous form of the practice, infibulation.
FGM/C can lead to a lifetime of chronic infections, mental health issues, and poor reproductive health. In Somalia, the cumulative treatment costs of the effects of FGM/C are approximately $230 million.
We are working with and training local organisations to help them design programmes that are based on established theories of behavioural change. Research shows that change is more likely to occur when it is instigated from within the community but activists cannot create change without knowing how to carry implement an effective programme.
We are confident that understanding what works to end FGM/C among this community, building trust with community activists and supporting them with the tools to design effective programmes is the key to ending this harmful practice among a community that has been lagging behind in global progress.
This project has provided additional documentation in a DOCX file (projdoc.docx).
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