Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 1 The Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (IAC) Presenter: Berhane Ras-Work IAC Executive Director "Combating FGM - challenges in the fight against Female Genital Mutilation" Vienna, June 12, 2007

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 2 Female Genital Mutilation understanding the nature and different implications of the problem CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 3 Ethiopia - drama show at school CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION pain and suffering of the girl risk for her life social integration NATURE OF THE PROBLEM Female Genital Mutilation - VIOLENCE against the female person and her body

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 4 RELIGIOUS MISINTERPRETATION AND MISCONCEPTION CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION CHALLENGE: clarify and dissociate the practice from the actual religious principles and teachings The Holy BibleThe Holy Koran

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 5 VIRGINITY CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION CHALLENGES: social economical political honor of the family satisfaction of the husband

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 6 LACK OF EDUCATION ON THE PART OF WOMEN AND MEN CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION CHALLENGE: Process of education and social mobilization

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 7 LACK OF POLITICAL WILL AND COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE THE STATUS OF WOMEN CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION Numerous conventions, declaration, and resolutions have been adopted to protect women and girls

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 8 LACK OF POLITICAL WILL AND COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE THE STATUS OF WOMEN CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION African Protocol Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa The African Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality Regional level:

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 9 LACK OF POLITICAL WILL AND COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE THE STATUS OF WOMEN CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION 16 countries have legislated National level:

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 10 BUILDING INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 11 INTEGRATED AND HOLISTIC APPROACH OVERCOMING CHALLENGES CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 12 Symposium for Religious Leaders – Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso DIALOGUES WITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 13 Symposium for Religious Leaders in Cote d’ Ivoire DIALOGUES WITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS September 2007 CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION Assessing the impact and building on the success of the Cairo and Ouagadougou symposia Enabling participants to share perspectives and experiences in their campaigns. Strengthening partnership between IAC and the African network of religious leaders.

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 14 Youth projects Youth Forum, November 2006, Ethiopia CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION REACHING SOCIETY

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 15 Alternative Employment Opportunities for ex-excisers Alternative income: production of shea tree butter and sale of sugar beets - Benin CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION REACHING SOCIETY

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 16 Ex-exicers learning a soap making trade. Niger Empowerment of women REACHING SOCIETY CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 17 Training and Information Campaigns Training of Traditional Birth Attendants – Gambia Participants receive certificate after completion of the training - Cameroon CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION REACHING SOCIETY

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 18 Lobbying and working on anti-FGM legislation POLICY MAKERS CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 19 Symposium for Legislators in 5 countries: Sudan, Guinea, Benin, Djibouti, and Tanzania 2007 CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION To draw attention to several international instruments that address the issue of FGM, such as Maputo Protocol To sensitize, to lobby and to advocate for the ratification of the Maputo Protocol To familiarize with The Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality To empower legislators to change laws and make them applicable To advocate for change in the application of laws POLICY MAKERS OBJECTIVES:

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 20 Workshops for the Media 2007 CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION To involve modern media professionals in awareness and education campaigns on the elimination of HTPs. To enable participants develop a communication matrix that would guide them to think through a communication intervention for behavior change (persuasive communication). To identify the campaign methods that would interest the various target audiences of media professionals. To engage the Media to give more visibility to February 6 as the International Day on Zero Tolerance to FGM. To establish a Network of Media Professionals on HTPs MEDIA OBJECTIVES: IAC has been working with the media since 1992

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 21 CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION PRODUCTION OF MATERIALS AND LOBBYING IAC continues to lobby, produce appropriate materials in its attempt to draw world wide attention to the problem of FGM and other HTPs.

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 22 CHALLENGES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY IAC affiliates in Europe, Canada, USA, New Zealand, and Japan in addition to the 28 African countries networkscollaboration

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 23 IAC’s activities has been evaluated

Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) 24 Eradication of harmful traditional practices VIOLENCE