March – December 2023 HUMAN RIGHTS / GENDER BASED VIOLENCE
WHERE
Ethiopia and other African countries supported by the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Eliminating FGM. Italy and Belgium and other EU countries.
PARTNERS
The project is coordinated by AIDOS and implemented in partnership with GAMS Belgium.
BACKGROUND
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is internationally recognised as a violation of human rights, a form of gender-based violence (GBV) and a manifestation of gender inequality. As such, its elimination is included as a specific target within the Sustainable Development Goal 5 dedicated to Gender Equality. According to UNICEF data, more than 200 million women and girls today are survivors of Female Genital Mutilation. Further research by UNFPA shows that, if current trends continue in the direction they are moving in, 68 million girls will face Female Genital Mutilation between 2015 and 2030.
As any other form of Gender Based Violence, FGM is closely tied to power relations between men and women. FGM is a manifestation of gender inequality and as such it needs to be addressed. Programs that aim to inform and sensitize communities about the negative impacts of FGM, and to eliminate the practice in the long run, must incorporate gender transformative approaches to inform/sensitize or even transform men and boys on the issue of toxic masculinity, which will challenge the gendered social norms, including harmful gender stereotypes, while favoring women and girls’ empowerment. Such programmes must challenge gender roles and gender power dynamics, and work to counter them both at institutional and society levels.
GOAL
The overall objective of the project is to accelerate the reduction of FGM by enhancing the capacities of organizations, activists and professionals in Africa and Europe to prevent and respond to the practice and to address discriminatory gender and social norms to advance gender equality and women’s decision-making.
MAIN ACTIVITIES
- Moderation of the CoP on FGM – a space for discussion for professionals, researchers, NGO workers, etc. in Africa and Europe, to exchange strategies and good practices to end FGM – through 4 thematic discussions, 4 online events, press reviews and blog posts, 1 meeting organised within the Women Deliver Conference.
- Organization of 1 participatory face to face workshop with 6/8 African organisations on gender transformative approaches to end FGM and men involvement.
- Production of 1 brochure with lessons learned and dos’ and don’ts on men involvement.
AIDOS ACTIVITIES
AIDOS is responsible for: the coordination and project management; the organization of the training and the production of the brochure.
WHEN
March/December 2023
COST OF THE PROJECT
206.456 USD
WHO IS FINANCING THE PROJECT
UNFPA / UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation and Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls.