Today, on the International Day for Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), EgLex hosted an important forum in efforts to raise awareness about FGM and to eradicate this practice as an extreme form of gender biased violence and violation of human rights of women and girls.
We want to thank everyone who attended!
It’s not an easy subject and there are certainly no straight forward ways for elimination of the practice that we discussed. FGM has become a phenomenon that cannot be independently evaluated without looking at the social and economic injustices surrounding women and girls. Any approach that aims to end FGM must incorporate a holistic strategy that addresses the multitude of factors that perpetuate it.
However, since 2003 the numbers of girls undergoing the procedure have been dropping, which demonstrates that the norms and stereotypes can be changed!
Ifrah Ahmed is a great role model for us as an activist passionate about her cause on two continents. The movie about her ‘A Girl from Mogadishu' was very inspiring and empowering and we are glad to work with Ifrah Foundation.
Thank you all for coming and participating! For your genuine interest, support and compassion on the subject.
April 30, 2020 – Sudanese government bans female genital mutilation!!! 9 out of 10 women in Sudan had been undergoing FGM and cutting.
An amendment of the country’s criminal code was passed outlawing FGM, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that the action fell under the government’s commitment to international human rights agreements.
However, we are well aware that the law by itself will not eliminate the practice. To be successfully enforced, there needs to be a community effort and coordination between “all parties” in raising awareness of the issue through community outreach.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/01/africa/sudan-fgm-banned-intl/index.html?fbclid=IwAR00R4Bbb6tfEGfChGnQdiJmswiSSaBV4x0-sVevgH8BTwUrgwQ_mfycZ4o