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FGM/FGC Global Consultation

FGM/FGC Global Consultation. The Politics of FGM/FGC Partnership Building and Community Accountability Mechanism: Case Study, Uganda By Margaret Thuo Adviser, Behaviour Change Communication and Advocacy. Background.

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FGM/FGC Global Consultation

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  1. FGM/FGCGlobal Consultation The Politics of FGM/FGC Partnership Building and Community Accountability Mechanism: Case Study, Uganda By Margaret Thuo Adviser, Behaviour Change Communication and Advocacy

  2. Background • Kapchorwa district lies within the Eastern Region of Uganda; about 5 hours drive from Kampala the capital city. • Total net enrolment of children to primary school is 91.8% (92.2% for females), • Males and females who complete secondary education and aged 20+ years are 6.2%. • Out of the total females aged 20+ years only 3.6% complete secondary school compared to 8.8% of the total males of the same age. • The 2002 Census result show that 6.1% of girls aged between 12 and 17 years in this district are mothers. Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  3. Kapchorwa District • Sabiny tribe is one of the very few tribes in Uganda that traditionally practice Female Genital Cutting (FGC) as a Rite of Passage to adulthood and to marriage. • FGC is performed bi-annually (even year) during the month of December. Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  4. The Politics of FGM/FGC • Attempts to eliminate female genital cutting made since the 80s by the more enlightened members of the community and religious groups. • Heavy opposition from the community encountered as this was seen as an external threat to the Sabiny Culture • District Local Government Chairman, Mr. Peter Kamuron commissioned a study on the views of the Sabiny community regarding FGC • Majority voted to retain FGC • Kamouron and the members of the District Council passed a Resolution to make FGC mandatory • Community used the Resolution to to harass and force all girls to be cut Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  5. Parliament Intervenes • Members of Sabiny Elders Association (SEA)mobilized some girls to go to Kampala to report the matter to Parliament • Minister for Women in Development and the Deputy Minister for Local Government flew to Kapchorwa to dialogue on implications of the Resolution • Peter Kamuron and his committee apologized • A new resolution passed to make FGC optional for females aged 18 years and above Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  6. Pro-FGC Campaign starts • a Pro-FGC group formed in 1998 to promote FGC and to counteract messages from the Project fighting for the elimination of FGC (REACH) and SEA. • The pro-FGC group was led by learned individuals including professors, magistrates, Agricultural Officers, Local Government leadership and teachers. • The pro-FGC group contributed enough money to provide gifts including money to families that support excision, • Pro-FGC campaign very successful in 1998, with increase of 36.3% of FGC prevalence over the previous period • Efforts of the pro-culture group mobilize funding were not sustained. REACH and SEA continued mobilization, lobbying and advocacy Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  7. Ministry of Health—Are you for us or against us? • Before 2000, District Director of Medical Services oriented male circumcisers and female ‘surgeons’ on how to protect themselves and their clients from HIV and issued certificates • MOH made it mandatory to use of one knife per client • The community saw this as a weapon to fight REACH project and said, “Even the Ministry of Health gives certificate to conduct FGC, it must be OK” • REACH and SEA approached the Ministry of Health and in 2000, it stopped issuing certificates to female ‘‘surgeons’’ with a strong warning to stop FGC. Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  8. REACH and SEA recruited girls as peer educators to lobby support for elimination of FGC within the school environment Those selected were the brightest students with specific responsibility at school This eliminated girls from poor families who were often not good performers because of lack of opportunities to study The poor girls rebelled and opted to be cut The peer educators’ recruitment programme was stopped in 1999 but there were already 354 peer educators who continued to fight against FGC. Caution: Peer Educator programme can be politicized Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  9. Culture or survival • The uneducated youths see FGC is an opportunity to get sheep and cows • They are difficult group to win • The reason is to continue with ‘Age Set’ celebrations (when a group passes through a rite of passage)--they see this as the only source of income • They are also used by the pro-FGC group to continue to oppose the elimination of FGC Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  10. In 2002, REACH viewed as an entry point to politics The political power struggle led to the killing of the Kapchorwa Chief District Administrative Officer in December 2002 who was also the Signatory of REACH project. Who was next? The husband of Beatrice the coordinator This created another human rights problem for Beatrice, The in-laws insisted that she must be inherited otherwise she loses all property rights Beatrice refused to be inherited and she lost all property rights including loss of her ten acres of land for defying the tradition The determination and commitment of Beatrice to fight for women’s rights is unequalled. Concientization (learning, reflection, questioning and participation) can be viewed as political Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  11. Fight from all angles • The Pro-FGC Group sometimes have hidden political Agenda • The vocal Pro-FGC group are the educated and enlightened people, yet they themselves do not allow their daughters to be cut • Few Political leaders who for fear losing votes lack commitment to speak out against FGC • Let us therefore not forget the political angle of FGM/FGC • Let us remember our staff in the front line whose courage has made us reach where we are Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  12. Partnership Building: Winning the Opposition • Peter Kamuron is among those interviewed and is presently a Human Rights Activist especially for women and has established and an Human Rights NGO . • His message is: • ‘Once the girl is cut, she is cut off’ Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  13. Winning the Opposition • Mary Yapkwopei, a former pro-FGM and now a councillor and a supporter/advocate for the elimination of FGC Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  14. The new generation • Simon Alele, District Population officer, Bukwa District and the son of Mary Yapkwopei Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  15. Partnership: Law Enforcement Institutions • The Chief Magistrate middle, The Prosecutor left, Police man right all with one mind to bring to an end FGC in kapchorwa Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  16. The Government Support • Ministry of Health in the forefront and the advocates Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  17. Our Future • We need to build partnership with the young ones too Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  18. Community Accountability Mechanism • Religious leaders, both Muslim and Christians, elders, advocates, women groups meet to account for their efforts to stop the cutting Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  19. Community Accountability Mechanism • Even the police are not spared Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  20. Kapchorwa: FGC Trend in 2006 • 5 sub-counties registering Zero FGC prevalence—not a single girl was cut • 5 sub counties, FGC prevalence trend is going down • 4 sub counties FGC rising • Vision: To have zero prevalence of FGC by 2011 Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  21. Where are we with REACH in 2007 • Following the assessment, UNFPA Representative, Uganda used the lessons learned to mobilize support for REACH to become a fully functioning NGO • UNFPA is continuing to source for funding to achieve the Kapchorwa vision—eliminate FGC by 2011 Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  22. Elements for the Road Map • Know your political opponents and their arguments, use their arguments to win them over. This weakens the opposition • Work with all stakeholders from parliamentarians, law enforcement agencies, elders, female ‘surgeons’ human rights activists, and others, they all have an important voice • Do not forget the youth, select them carefully, work with them beyond FGM issues • Remember, Concientization of the community is key • Encourage and support your staff in the war front- to keep going when it is really tough Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  23. Where are the champions? Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

  24. Thank you • Thank you Global Consultation-Thuo-30thJuly-3rd Aug-2007

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