JAI/118/02-EN
Daphne Programme – Year 2002
Final Report
Project No: 01/225/WYCTitle: “First European programme for the prevention of female genital mutilations (FGM) in Europe”
Start Date: 2001 End Date: 2002
Coordinating Organisation’s name: GAMS
Contact Person: Project Leader
Name: Isabelle GILLETTE-FAYE
Address: Association GAMS, 66 rue des Grands Champs
Postcode: 75020 City: PARIS
Country: FRANCE
Tel. No: + 33.1.43.10.87 Fax No: + 33.1.43.48.00.73
e-mail:
Partner Organisations’ names and countries:
1. AIDOS – Associazione Italiana Donne per lo Svilupo (Italian Association of Women for Development) (Italy)
2. ICRH International Centre for Reproductive Health (Belgium)
3. GAMS Belgium – Group of African and European men and women for the Abolition of Sexual Mutilations (Belgium)
4. Somali Women’s Organisation (Denmark)
5. Afrikanische Frauenorganisation in Wien (Organisation of African Women in Vienna) (Austria)
6. EQUIS – Equipo de Sensibilisation contra FGM – Team for sensitisation against FGM (Spain)
7. CAMS – Commission for the Abolition of Sexual Mutilations (France)
8. FSAN – Federation of Somali Associations (Netherlands)
9. ZONTA International (Europe District) (Netherlands)
10. PHAROS Foundation (Netherlands)
11. Göteborg Somali Network on FGM (Sweden)
12. RISK – Riksförbundet stoppa kvinnlig könsstympning (National Association for the Abolition of Female Genital Mutilation) (Sweden)
13. WPF – World Population Foundation (Netherlands)
14. FORWARD (United Kingdom)
15. FORWARD Germany (Germany)
16. London Black Women’s Health and Family Support (United Kingdom)
17. NOSOTRAS – Intercultural Association of Women (Italy)
First European Programme for the prevention offemale genital mutilations (FGM) in Europe
The problem addressed is that of female genital mutilations (FGM). The World Health Organisation estimate that today two million young girls are still subjected to the practice of FGM, i.e. every day 6000 young girls undergo excision, infibulation, or are under threat of these.
But what is happening in Europe? We know that the countries of the European Union (EU) are taking in more and more migrants who come from sub-Saharan Africa. Some have already been committed for very many years to the fight against such practices. In France, for example, GAMS continues its work to prevent excision and publishes informatory material. Since 1984 France has regarded and condemned these practices as a crime.
And what of the other European countries? We know that for a few years the more or less significant number of NGOs in each Member State of the EU have acted to put in place a policy of prohibition and/or that the associations support action in Africa to eradicate these injurious traditional practices. In 2001, however, no measures at all were adopted on a European scale in the various countries of the Union.
I. AIMS OF THE PROJECT
The present programme for the prevention of FGM in Europe is a programme supported by the European Commission (DAPHNE Programme) for action taken on European territory to prevent FGM. It encourages collaboration between various organisations and the exchange of good practices, with significant representation among immigrant populations concerned by the practice.
1. Project partners
A. Coordinating Association: GAMS (Group of women for the abolition of sexual mutilations), French section of the Inter-African Committee on traditional practices that affect the health of women and children:
GAMS proposes to contribute to the eradication of traditional practices that affect the health of women and children, and in particular female sexual mutilations, by promoting information, education and training.
These activities involve: Information – Education – Communication (IEC) with immigrant women and adolescents of sub-Saharan African origin; initial and continuous training of social and medico-social professionals; participation in conferences, seminars and working groups; media information.
B. Main associates:
- AIDOS – a non-profit-making association (Italy).
To develop cooperation and development activities in favour of women in the areas of reproductive health, and to create small businesses. AIDOS has been working since 1986 to prevent FGM in Africa.
- ICRH (International Centre for Reproductive Health), a non-profit-making organisation (Belgium).
The Centre’s fields of research are: family planning and contraception, maternal and infantile health, AIDS, and violence against women and children.
C. Partner Associations:
1. GAMS Belgium – Group of African and European men and women for the Abolition of Sexual Mutilations (Belgium)
2. Somali Women’s Organisation (Denmark)
3. Afrikanische Frauenorganisation in Wien – Organisation of African Women in Vienna (Austria)
4. AMAM – Association of African Women Against Mutilation; replaced by EQUIS, Team for Sensitisation Against FGM (Spain)
5. CAMS – Commission for the Abolition of Sexual Mutilations (France)
6. FSAN – Federation of Somali Associations of the Netherlands (Netherlands)
7. ZONTA International (Europe District) (Netherlands)
8. PHAROS Foundation (Netherlands)
9. Göteborg Somali network on FGM – Network of Somalian women in Göteborg against FGM (Sweden)
10. RISK – Riksförbundet stoppa kvinnlig könsstympning (National Association for the Abolition of FGM) (Sweden)
11. SDF Frölunda (Sweden) / Replaced by WPF – World Population Foundation (Netherlands)
12. FORWARD (United Kingdom)
13. FORWARD Germany (Germany)
14. (I)NTACT (Germany); replaced by the London Black Women’s Health and Family Support – Immigrant women of London for the support and health of families (United Kingdom)
15. NOSOTRAS – Intercultural Association of Women (Italy).
2. Specific objectives:
- To urge NGOs and public services to engage actively in the fight against injurious traditional practices (ITPs) and encourage them to collaborate with one another.
- To sensitise public opinion through the media concerning the problem of FGM and to prevent FGM in children, adolescents and women.
II. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
1. Calendar
From 2001 to 2003 (DAPHNE Programme 2001 - 2003), transnational actions aiming to establish multidisciplinary networks, to ensure information exchange and to sensitise public opinion.
A) Seminar 1 to assess communication, education and information in the populations concerned, by the project’s partner associations; 28 to 30 March 2002 in Paris: Diaconesses Conference Hall, 18, rue du Sergent Bauchat, 75012 Paris
Unfortunately, the associations NOSOTRAS (Italy) and Göteborg Somali Network on FGM (Sweden) could not be represented. On the other hand, the following participated in our work: DAFI (a Berlin association involved in the prevention of FGM) (Germany), providing support in particular to refugee women (political asylum seekers) and the Director of African Operations of the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices that affect the health of women and children.
The conference on Thursday, 28 March was devoted to the following:
MORNING
PRESENTATION OF THE PARTNERS:
Welcoming address: Dr. Marie-Hélène FRANJOU, Pediatrician, President of GAMS.
Presentation of partners in the project:
- Cristiana SCOPPA, from AIDOS (Italy)
Cristiana SCOPPA, a trainee journalist, joined AIDOS in February 2000. AIDOS is a NGO created in Rome in 1981 after the five-yearly conference on women in Copenhagen in 1980. The aims of the NGO are to reinforce women’s power in terms of economics, health and access to information. After a first experience of combating FGM in Somalia, AIDOS has collaborated with the Inter-African Committee in several countries on traditional practices that affect the health of women and children. AIDOS has also lent its expertise to Centres of reproductive health.
Waris DIRIE [1] also came to Italy to support AIDOS in a press and television spots campaign to acquaint the people of Italy with the reality of these mutilations. AIDOS does not work directly outside Italy, but lends its support to local organisations. In four West African countries AIDOS is working to integrate the FGM issue in programmes for reproductive health.
- Els LEYE, from the International Cetnre for Reproductive Health (Belgium)
Els LEYE first came across militants in the fight against FGM in Dakar, in 1997.
The European Union then asked the University of Ghent to propose a project corresponding to the DAPHNE criteria, to combat FGM in Europe, by studying in particular the medical, social and legal aspects.
In 1998 experts were invited to Ghent to debate the content of the first request to be submitted to the European Commission (DAPHNE). The ICRH then decided not to work at a political level but with militants, teachers and researchers, and health professionals (Göteborg). Reports were prepared and disseminated. The Tropical Institute of Amsterdam and International Defence of Children were also partners in this first project. A second project was also presented in partnership with the Göteborg Somali Network for the fight against FGM (Sweden). Finally, the third and last was not selected by DAPHNE.
Nevertheless, the University of Ghent is continuing its work in Belgium by working out proposals, by the training of midwives, etc.
In the present DAPHNE project, Els LEYE has been assigned to write a history of the fight against FGM in Europe and to give an account of the legal measures in the various European countries.
Round the table: partners and associates present and invited:
Ø Somali Women’s Organisation (Denmark)
Ø FSAN (Netherlands)
Ø WPF (Netherlands)
Ø PHAROS (Netherlands)
Ø EQUIS (Spain)
Ø CI-AF (28 sections in Africa and 6 groups/sections in Europe)
Ø DAFI (Germany)
Ø GAMS (France)
Ø ZONTA Northern Europe District, represented by France
Ø RISK (Sweden)
Ø Afrikanische Frauenorganisation (Austria)
Ø FORWARD Germany (Germany)
Ø GAMS Belgium
Ø Somali Women’s Organisation (Denmark)
Ø FORWARD (United Kingdom)
Ø London Black Women’s Health and Family Support (United Kingdom).
*
* *
Presentation of GAMS activities, by Dr Marie-Hélène FRANJOU, Co-founder and President, and Coumba TOURE, Co-founder and Vice-President.
· What is GAMS ?
GAMS is a non-profit-making association within the meaning of the Law of 1901. Since its origin about twenty years ago, it has consisted of African and French women with competences in the field of health and social welfare, and long experience of the prevention of FGM, initiated in Maternal and Infantile Protection (MIP).
GAMS promotes the dissemination of information to migrant families living in France, and to health, social welfare and education professionals.
GAMS has never brought a civil action, but can be called upon as an expert at the request of the President of the Court of Assizes.
Finally, in Europe the CI-AF is represented by 6 groups/sections, and GAMS has been one of them since the beginning.
· Some GAMS activities
ð Information, education and communication among migrant populations living in France, on prevention of the practice of genital mutilation in women, in particular excision, and the forced “marriage” of adolescents.
ð Initial and continued training of professionals in the fields of health, social welfare and education.
ð Participation and intervention in think tanks, seminars, conferences, working groups, etc.
ð Collaboration with the media (printed press, radio, television).
ð Centre of documentation on traditional practices that affect the health of women and children, and publication of educational and study material, etc.
ð Partnership with the national committees of the Inter-African Committee, in particular those of Benin, Burkina-Faso, the Ivory Coast, Guinea-Conakry, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal.
· Our results, as a conclusion
As an example, we quote the figures sent in by two centres for Maternal and Infantile Protection in Yvelines (a suburb of Paris). At their request, we are respecting their anonymity.
In a first case, the Centre receives 30% of African women. In 1985, out of 153 little girls examined, the excision rate was 24% (38 girls). In 1992 it was 4.7% (2 girls). But since 1993 not a single little girl from African has been excised. The last excision carried out in France took place 14 years ago, in 1987. To achieve this result a doctor, who is a member of GAMS, and an interpreter from ISM Interprétariat, also a GAMS member, have taken preventive action since 1985. In other words, they informed women at every consultation. They explained to the women that the Koran in no way requires the excision of their daughters and that such an operation could endanger them. The Universal Book of Birth Images (with its supplement on sexual mutilation) was shown and explained to them. The women took it home and came back later to comment on it or ask questions. Weekly meetings of women were organised on the subject of excision, sometimes with video films to support discussion (The Fraud, Women sitting under the knife, My daughter will not be excised, Blades against women, etc.).
In the second case, in 1983 out of 32 little girls belonging to an ethnic group that practised excision, 13 had been excised and 6 were about to be. In March 1994, of the 21 African girls monitored by the Centre (33 families) not one girl had been excised, and this for several years. Since 1980, at the Centre a doctor who was a GAMS member and an ISM Interprétariat interpreter, also a GAMS member, began taking preventive action. During consultations they spoke of the dangers of the practice. The paediatric nurse repeated the same thing later, in the waiting room or in the home, still via the interpreter. The Universal Book of Birth Images (with its supplement on sexual mutilations) was shown and explained. In time, the legal prohibition was referred to and made explicit. The women and their families were also told by our intermediary that in Africa campaigns are organised to eradicate female genital mutilations and in particular excision.
Thus, where we have been able to quantify the excision rate and the level of risk, we have been successful and are continuing our work on prevention and information, which is seen to be effective in due course. However, we do not have enough quantitative data to be as specific about each site that we visit.
Presentation of the CI-AF (Inter-African Committee on traditional practices that affect the health of women and children), by Berhane RAS-WORK, President, represented by the Director of the CI-AF, Dr Morissanda KOUYATE.
The Inter-African Committee on traditional practices that affect the health of women and children (CI-AF) is a non-governmental organisation which works to promote the health of women and children in Africa by combating injurious traditional practices and encouraging those that are beneficial.
Its regional office is established in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), and its liaison office is in Geneva. It unites 28 African partner countries and six groups/sections in Europe, of which the following were present at this seminar: GAMS, GAMS Belgium, Federation of Somali Associations in the Netherlands (FSAN), PHAROS Foundation, National Association for the Abolition of FGM (RISK), London Black Women’s Health-Action Project (LBWHAP).