Community-based approach is best sensitization to end FGM/C practice

This approach to make Zero Tolerance to FGM/C a reality was buttressed on Wednesday in Dakar during a teleconference with a panel in Washington DC, USA comprising the Director of US Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, Melanne Verveer, the founder and executive director of African women’s NGO TOSTAN, Molly Melching, and Imam Magid of the All Dules Area Muslim Society (ADAMS Center) in Sterling, Virginia.

The 9th International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) was marked on 6th February.

Melching, whose NGO created in Senegal in 1991 works at present with communities in eight African countries, explained that access to basic information and informal education in local languages were key in the decision of the first village to decide to end FGM/C practice.

She explained how the villagers of Malicounda Bambara (Senegal) in 1997 decided to abandon the practice after being empowered to make their own choices in life through information and education under the Community Empowerment Program (CEP) that taught on human rights, democracy, problem-solving skills, health and hygiene, etc.

Melching emphasized that sensitizing women on all their rights helps them change norms and make a huge difference for themselves, their families and the community at large.

Apart from Senegal, in the Gambia for instance, over 120 women cutters from over 564 communities have so far voluntarily “dropped the knives” (abandoned the practice) following years of rigorous sensitization.

On the religious aspect, it was stressed on Wednesday that the practice of FGM started in Africa well before the introduction of Islam or Christianity thus making it more difficult to have people do away with centuries-old believes that have proven to be harmful.

Imam Magid, who is of Sudanese origin, said that religious leaders should talk more about such issues during sermons, revealing that he was thinking of a network of religious leaders to speak on FGM/C.

African countries like Senegal, which is predominantly Muslim, passed laws against the practice. However, enforcing the laws has been facing shortcomings. It could be recalled that Senegal enacted in 1999 a law criminalising FGM practice and to strengthen the country’ Plan against FGM/C which started in the 1970s.

The national coordinator of the implementation of the 2nd National Action Plan to speed up and abandon FGM/C in Senegal, Ndèye Soukèye Guèye, told APA on Zero Tolerance Day that the enactment of the 1999 law is ineffective as the practice continues in some areas in the north, east and south of the country.

Prevalence rates remain high in some regions with 94% in Kolda (south), 93% in Matam (north) and 86% in Tambacounda and Kedougou (east),” she said of the study that revealed that 28% of women between the ages of 15 and 49 have been circumcised (2000-2005).

Though some parents know that the practice is risky, they perpetrate it believing that FGM/C enable a woman “have a status in society”, Ms Guèye pointed out.

On why it is difficult in some countries to implement laws that were passed against FGM/C, the Panel speakers also said that a bottom-up approach by starting with grassroots as “a critical mass has more energy to implement laws”.

Throughout their statements, the three speakers noted that the best way to prevent “relapse” was by reaching out to all social strata in the sensitisation process given that community laws have proven to be more effective than general public laws where authorities could have difficulties in implementing them.

The best way to help people abandon FGM/C is to educate the grassroots, give them enough basic information in their own languages to make their own choices, and thus contribute to changing their attitude towards this millennia-long practice, Melching said.

Speaking on US government involvement, Melanne Verveer said the US is concerned “about FGM/C because it is a rights violation and a health issue,” emphasising the government’s efforts and different programmes through USAID and its NGO.

United States on Thursday joins the rest of the world to observe the 9th International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). Though the day is marked on 6th February, the State Department through Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will host and deliver remarks on the Day on 16 February at the Department of State.

US Congressman Joe Crowley will also deliver remarks while Melanne Verveer will “moderate a panel discussion with leading experts and activists dedicated to the global effort to eradicate FGM/C and to raise awareness of its negative consequences on women, girls, families, and societies,” a State Department statement said here.

“The discussion will highlight the importance of fostering community-based approaches and engaging religious leaders and the Diaspora community to encourage abandonment of this harmful traditional practice,” it added.



First published on apanews.net on 16 February 2012

Une histoire de tchere (couscous) au Sénégal mais pas pour le Ashoura

Aisha Dabo shared a link on Facebook on December 3, 2011

Une histoire de tchere (couscous) au Sénégal mais pas pour le Ashoura

Vivement que février 2012 arrive, comme on est a quelques jours de Ashoura (Tamkharit) C'est le couscous (tchere ) qui est a la mode sur la scène politique sénégalaise.

Donc le président Wade commence jeudi en prévenant ceux qui veulent déstabiliser le Sénégal:

"Lekouma ci tchere bi dina ci kheup souf, lolou doufi khewe.Kou kheup souf ci sama tchere, ma jap sa lokho damm ko"

(En français: Je ne mangerai pas de ce couscous, mais j'y mettrai du sable, je ne l'admettrai pas. Quiconque met du sable dans mon couscous, je lui brise la main.)

Réponse de l'opposant Talla Sylla sur la 2Stv: "Tchere Wade dafa eunne. Tchere Senegal, Wade bou-ci kheupe souf Askan wi dina ko lem"

(En français: Le couscous de Wade est périmé, impropre à la consommation. SI Wade se met a jeter du sable sur le couscous du Sénégal, le peuple va le plier en deux)

Pour sa part, Idrissa Seck invite Wade à casser d’abord sa propre main car c’est lui qui met du sable dans le couscous sénégalais en violant son serment et la Constitution.

"C’est lui qui met du sable dans le couscous en refusant de clarifier les fonds de Taïwan’. Mais Abdoulaye Wade doit comprendre que c’est lui, par son entêtement à violer la Constitution, qui est la principale source de tension, de violence, d’instabilité et de déstabilisation du Sénégal’.

En fait, ma question aux politiciens est "On parle de quel genre de couscous (cere) "tchere bassi" (couscous avec sauce d'arachide) ou "tchere bomb" (couscous très riche avec viande etc)"tchere djeun" (couscous au poisson) ou bien encore "tchere ak mew" (couscous avec lait)

Liens: http://www.lequotidien.sn/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4787&catid=38&Itemid=55

http://www.seneweb.com/news/Politique/idrissa-seck-sur-les-menaces-du-chef-de-l-rsquo-etat-lsquo-j-rsquo-invite-wade-a-casser-d-rsquo-abord-sa-propre-main-lui-qui-met-du-sable-dans-le-couscous-des-senegalais-rsquo_n_55236.html