Accelerating Change towards Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Effects of Community Dialogues on FGM/C and Child Marriage (2019)
This study is a Descriptive research regarding All FGM/C with the following characteristics:
Author(s): Kipchumba,E.,Korir,J.,Abdirahman,N.,Mwai,C.,& Aid,N. C.
FGM/C Type(s): All
Health area of focus: None.
Objective: This study explores progress of the joint programme results from 2016 to 2018. Additionally,it tests the effects achieved by community level discussions – labelled Community Dialogue Sessions
Study Population: In total,1258 respondents were involved at baseline of whom 1168 were traced and re-survey at midline. In the qualitative method,a total of 31 Key Informant Interviews and 24 Focus Group Discussions were conducted. The FGD participants were members of the Community Dialogue (CD) sessions drawn from each target district and included the women,men,girls in schools,boys in schools,community and religious leaders’ groups. The KII targeted the community and religious leaders,health workers,police,parliamentarians and Ministry of Women
Findings: Despite wide (70%) support for child marriage in the study area,we find low prevalence of child marriage (1% at baseline and 6% at midline) among female children aged between 10 and 17 years. The community however perceives child marriage as a widespread practice,completely opposite of the reality. Using two-wave panel data,this study finds nearly universal FGM/C prevalence (93% in 2016 and 97% in 2018) among girls aged 15 to 19 years. The midline FGM/C prevalence was comparable to the rates observed almost a decade ago among girls of a similar age. Within a two-year period,the study recorded 38.9% incidents rates (newly circumcised) with 65% of the new FGM/C incidents done between age 5 and 10 years. All uncircumcised girls aged above 15 years underwent FGM/C during the two-year window. Mother and grandmothers were the main decision makers as to whether a girl would undergo FGM/C or not and also determined which type of cut to be performed on her.
There is high awareness on FGM/C and its negative effects with nearly all respondents aware of negative consequences of FGM/C. However,the health effects were largely associated with the Pharaonic type of FGM/C,with significant portion of the community perceiving the Sunnah type of FGM as less harmful or not harmful at all. Awareness of negative health consequences of FGM/C was the dominant driver of the two shifts in FGM/C practice: shift in FGM/C types being performed and medicalization of FGM/C. Six out of every ten new FGM/C cases were performed by health professionals especially in urban areas. Similarly,60% of new FGM/C incidents were of Sunna Saker type while 10% were of Pharaonic type. This study revealed that FGM/C is practiced based on religious,gender relations and cultural justifications. Sunnah FGM/C type is justified as a mandatory religious practise by 71% of the community. Although religious leaders disagreed with the notion that Sunnah FGM/C being compulsory religious practice,they all supported a fatwa that prohibits only Pharaonic FGM/C. Religious leaders had not taken a common stand prohibiting FGM/C in totality,either they supported Sunnah FGM/C publicly or dismissed the FGM/C discussion as a non-important women issue. The few religious leaders who were for complete abandonment of FGM/C had not come out publicly to air their views. On the other hand Pharaonic type though on the decline was justified as part of the Somali culture and traditions. As a gender relations issue,FGM/C was justified as means to assure virginity,marriageability and taming women’s sexual desires. Deviation from the norm would result in significant social costs such as failure to get a marriage partner and ridicule
Geographical coverage
Region(s):Eastern Africa
Country(ies):Somalia