FORWARD's Third Annual Forum on FGM - "Strengthening Efforts for a Future without FGM"

19 Feb 2001

FORWARD recently co-ordinated the third national forum on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) held on 19th February 2001 at Friend's House, Euston.

The conference entitled 'Strengthening our Efforts for a Future without FGM' was attended by a diverse range of delegates including those working on FGM from NGO's and voluntary organisations, health professionals, child protection officers and social workers, the police, researchers, academics, MPs and members of government departments, from the UK, Europe and Africa.

The event was very successful in bringing together various agencies and individuals working on FGM to network and collaborate and to share experiences and good practice models and strengthen their combined efforts against the practice. Key speeches were given on UK Government initiatives to eliminate FGM in the UK, by Christine McCafferty, chair of the All Party Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health, FGM as a human rights issue, research ethics and the role of research in bringing an end to FGM, funding for FGM and reproductive and sexual health initiatives, and evaluation of work against FGM by key UK agencies. There were also workshops on capacity building, training and support services, legislation and policy development, interagency and multi-disciplinary approaches and community programmes (see Programme below).

The day highlighted the need for greater collaboration between NGOs, statutory agencies and community organisations to develop practical and effective community programmes, the need to lobby for an amendment to the current law against FGM and the need for research on the prevalence of FGM in the UK. The day also highlighted refugee and asylum issues, and the need for comprehensive and widespread training for professionals.

The forum was sponsored by Allen Lane Foundation, King's Fund, and Unison.

"Strengthening our Efforts for a Future without Female Genital Mutilation"

19 February 2001

Chaired by Baroness Gould of Potternewton, Patron of FORWARD

KEY SPEAKERS

Christine McCafferty, MP, Chair of All-Party Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health

Key note address: UK Government initiatives on FGM

Dr Fareda Banda, Law Department, School of Oriental and African Studies

FGM as a human rights issue

Nahid Toubia, Rainbo

The role of research in eradicating FGM

A UK and Overseas Donor (to be confirmed)

Funding FGM initiatives

London Black Women's Health Action Project

International conference on FGM in Africa

Florence Harding, Independent Consultant

The work on FGM by key UK agencies

WORKSHOPS

Capacity Building
Training and Support Services
Legislation and Policy Development
Interagency and Multi-Disciplinary Approaches
Community Programmes

SESSION ON FGM AT THE 45TH SESSION ON THE COMMISSION OF THE STATUS OF WOMEN

by Amanda Lawrence, Project co-ordinator, FORWARD

The Commission of the Status of Women's (CSW) annual session in March 2001 focused on two key areas of concern: HIV/AIDS and its impact on women and the girl child and HIV/AIDS; and gender and racism. Both areas are of key concern world-wide. The two week event gathered state delegates and NGOs from all over the world to affirm their commitment to and action on women's rights in their respective countries. CSW prepares recommendations to the Economic and Social Council on promoting women's rights in political, economic, civil, social and educational fields; and aims to promote implementation of the principle that men and women shall have equal rights.

FORWARD was invited by the Women's National Commission (WNC), an individual advisory organisation giving the views of women in the UK to the government, to take part in planning a session on FGM in preparation for the CSW conference in New York. We aimed to continue the debate and information-exchange on FGM firstly in the UK, and also in Africa. The FGM session at the CSW proved to be an ideal environment to gather international and national NGO's and state delegates from all over the world to discuss FGM and share good practice models on its eradication.

A Great Deal to Report

Chaired by Baroness Christine Crawley, the FGM session included panelist speakers: Dr Faith Mwangi-Powell (Director of FORWARD), Christine McCafferty MP and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health, Dr Faduma Hussein, Leytonstone African Well Women clinic, and Comfort Momoh, specialist FGM midwife, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital. All speakers brought a different aspect of the work taking place to eradicate FGM in the UK.

Christine McCafferty spoke of the UK Parliamentary Hearings that took place in May 2000. The aim of this hearing was to review the work being done on FGM in the UK and abroad, examine the gaps in the work, where governments can help and to create recommendations for further work. The hearings called witnesses from the UK and abroad, such as FORWARD. The report recommended that the UK government tighten the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act (1985) to ensure that UK residents who take girls abroad to be mutilated can be prosecuted under UK law on their return. Christine stated that the UK government needs to categorise FGM as a form of physical abuse in all child protection literature, and develop a media and information campaign targeting grassroots communities and professionals. The report also recommends that the government provide financial support to such work and co-ordinate an inter-agency approach.

Dr Faith Mwangi-Powell, conducted an overview of FORWARD's, and other NGOs, work on the campaign against FGM. She highlighted the key role such organisations have had in advocacy and policy development at government level in the UK, with the Prohibition Act in 1985 and establishing FGM as an issue of Child Protection in the 'Working together' document are key examples. Faith also emphasised the importance of community education on FGM and approaching this with cultural sensitivity. Research on the views and practices of communities that practice FGM and training of professionals in health, education, social work and the police are also areas of importance for NGOs. (FGM was also put in the context of the CSW themes of HIV/AIDS and racism, as there have been links to FGM and HIV/AIDS)

Both Dr Faduma Hussein and Comfort Momoh each reported on the work of their Africa Well Women Clinics in London, in helping women suffering from FGM. They play an important part in providing services to women needing reversal operations, counselling and support.

The session facilitated some lively discussion with comments and questions from state delegates and NGO workers. Also of great importance to FORWARD, was that the UK government delegates were present at the FGM session, which gave another opportunity to create awareness and lobby for government support and action on the issue of FGM in the UK.

As a result

In conclusion, holding this session on FGM, proved for FORWARD an ideal environment to discuss FGM in the context of the wider issue of gender discrimination and the importance of raising women's status in order to help combat FGM. It was a good opportunity to meet and discuss the issue of FGM with state delegates world-wide, and to lobby for action on FGM in their own countries. Our work with the WNC will continue through taking part in WNCs policy development on the issue of FGM and their lobbying work.