FGM Proposal Donors - UNFPA

Contents

1. Summary .................................................................................... 5

2. Rationale .................................................................................... 7

3. Lessons Learnt ........................................................................... 8

4. Sub-regional/SegmentationApproach of the Programme .................................................... 12

5. Objectives of the Programme ................................................... 16

6. Expected Outcomes ................................................................. 17

7. Expected Outputs ..................................................................... 17

8. Governance Structure and Programme Administration ............. 18

9. Performance Monitoring ........................................................... 19

10. Stakeholders ............................................................................ 20

11. Assumptions and Risks ............................................................. 21

12. Estimated Budget and Calendar 2008-2012 ............................ 22

Annex 1 Best Practices ................................................................. 23

Annex 2 Logical Framework UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting ......................................................... 26

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1. Summary

UNFPA and UNICEF will work jointly towards actively contributing to theaccelerated abandonment of FGM/C, in specific areas of implementationwithin 17 countries, by 2012. The focus of this joint proposal is to leveragesocial dynamics towards abandonment within selected communities that prac-tice FGM/C. The main strategic approach is to gain the support of an initialcore group, which decides to abandon FGM/C and mobilises a sufficient num-ber of people to facilitate a tipping point and thereby create a rapid social shiftof the cutting social convention norm. A core feature of implementation wouldbe fostering partnerships with government authorities both at decentralisedand national levels, religious authorities and local religious leaders, the media,civil society organisations and the education and reproductive health sectors.These partnerships will serve to disseminate acquired knowledge and fosteran enabling environment for collective social change towards an FGM/C so-cial convention shift. Further, it may contribute to an improvement in the well-being of girls and women in societies, where the FGM/C is practiced.

OBJECTIVE

To contribute to the accelerated abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in one generation, with demonstrated success in 17 coun-tries in Africa by 2012.[1]

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

The process of abandonment of FGM/C is accelerated in the 17 coun-tries covered by the programme, with at least one country declaredFGM/C free by the end of the programme.

Community and national efforts already identified as promising for lead-ing to positive social transformation are expanded and constitute a large-scale movement, within and across national boundaries.

[1] Demonstrated success refers to 40 percent reduction in prevalence among daughters (0-15years) over a five year period, in specific areas of programming implementation, andcannot be extrapolated to the entire country or region. This 40 percent estimate is based onevidence from specific field experiences where community-led approaches were implemented.Egypt and Senegal are good examples of demonstrated success.

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EXPECTED OUTPUTS

Effective enactment and enforcement of legislation against FGM/C.

Knowledge dissemination of socio-cultural dynamics of FGM/Cpractice.

Collaboration with key global development partners on a common frame-work for the abandonment of FGM/C.

Evidence-based data for programming and policies.

Consolidation of existing partnerships and forging of new partnerships.

Expanding networks of religious leaders advocating abandonment ofFGM/C.

Media campaigns emphasising FGM/C abandonment process in Sub-Saharan Africa, Sudan and Egypt.

Better integration of implications of FGM/C practice into reproductivehealth strategies.Building donor support to pool resources for a global movement to-wards abandonment of FGM/C.

PARTNERSHIPS

UN Agencies, UN Country Teams, national and decentralized Governments,donors and grant-making foundations, academic institutions and specialisedconsulting organisations, NGOs, community-based organizations, faith-basedorganizations, and the media.

PROGRAMME DURATION

January 2008- December 2012.

FUND MANAGEMENT OPTION

Pass Through (UNFPA as Administrative Agent).

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ESTIMATED BUDGET

UNFPA: $21,051,813UNICEF: $22,520,591Total programme costs: $43,572,405(For details, please refer to paragraph 12, below)

2. Rationale

FGM/C affects between 100 and 140 million women and girls worldwide andthree million girls are at risk of being cut annually. In terms of the MillenniumDevelopment Goals (MGD), it is increasingly clear that, when perceived as amanifestation of gender inequalities, progress towards abandonment ofFGM/C will contribute to the empowerment of women (MDG 3); im-provement of maternal health (MDG 5) and reduction in child mortality (MDG4). The Secretary General’s (2005) report Map Towards the Implementationof the United Nation’s Millennium Declaration, reiterated the negative conse-quences of FGM/C. It stated, that the practice of FGM/C transcends cultural,racial, socio-economic and age factors and undermine individuals, families,and societies worldwide.

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3. Lessons Learnt

UNFPA and UNICEF have over the past five years refocused attentionon harmful traditional practices, with specific reference to FGM/C, usingthe human-rights based programming approach and other culturally sen-sitive approaches. UNFPA and UNICEF’s approach towards FGM/C isbased on experiences of governmental and non-governmental organiza-tions, as well as the latest theoretical developments within academia.

Drawing on important studies measuring FGM/C prevalence, as wellas in-depth analysis of FGM/C practice by the Demographic and HealthSurveys (DHS); the UNICEF Multiple Cluster Indicator Survey (MICS)and UNFPA’s Global Survey in 2003, a significant database has beengenerated. This has contributed to an innovative understanding of the prob-lem and of the requisite elements required for FGM/C abandonment. Of

An increasing number of international instruments underscore the com-mitments of many nation-states to end harmful practices, including FGM/C.Some of the major instruments include the Universal Declaration of HumanRights; the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination AgainstWomen and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. A commitment to-wards ending harmful practices is also included in the plans of action emanat-ing from the International Conference on Population and Development, theFourth World Conference on Women and the UN Special Session on Chil-dren, as well as a number of UN General Assembly Resolutions. African Stateshave also made a concerted commitment to take all appropriate measures toeliminate harmful social and cultural practices, as outlined in the African Char-ter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and in the Protocol on the Rights ofWomen in Africa ('Maputo Protocol') and the African Charter on Human andPeoples' Rights.

Further, in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness the internationalcommunity committed itself to undertake wide-ranging and monitored actionsto reform how aid is delivered and managed. It also reinforces the centrality ofa development model based on national ownership; mutual accountability andpartnerships between donors and partner countries, but also the involvementof civil society and communities themselves at grass-roots level. At the sametime, the demand is for new policies, tools and partnerships where differentactors need to ensure complementarities, mutual accountability, policy coher-ence and alignment with nationally led development strategies and processes.In addition, the principle of managing for results and achieving the aims of theMillennium Declaration and Millennium Development Goals and other inter-nationally agreed development goals should be the driver for aid effectivenessand related actions in clearly measurable ways.

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particular importance is the UNICEF Innocenti Digest from 2005, Changing aharmful social convention, female genital mutilation/cutting, which utilisesThomas C. Shelling’s (1960) theoretical understanding of FGM/C, as a socialconvention. A companion UNICEF publication to the afore-mentioned Di-gest, A Coordinated Strategy for the Abandonment of FGM/C in Africa andYemen has also contributed to current understandings of FGM/C.

This proposal is informed by UNICEF’s Technical Note: Coordi-nated Strategy To Abandon Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in OneGeneration, which utilises a country segmentation approach. UNICEFalso worked closely with a number of international NGOs to bring theMaputo Protocol on women’ rights in Africa into effect, by funding andco-organizing two international high level conferences between Februaryand September 2005 in Djibouti and Bamako respectively Ratificationswere accelerated during this period and the Maputo Protocol subsequentlycame into effect on the 20th of November 2005.

This proposal is also informed by UNFPA’s joint action with localhuman rights groups and national governments to develop legislation, pro-hibiting FGM/C, in an effort to eliminate the practice. Towards this end,UNFPA has been instrumental in persuading governments to pass legisla-tion banning FGM/C with an overwhelming percentage of 151 countriesresponding to UNFPA's Global Survey in 2003, indicating that they hadadopted policies, laws or constitutional provisions aimed at protectingthe rights of girls and women.

UNFPA and UNICEF address the issue of FGM/C not only be-cause of its harmful impact on the reproductive and sexual health ofwomen, but also because of its violation of women and girls’ fundamentalhuman rights. The rights-based approach affirms that well-being, bodilyintegrity and health are influenced by the way a human being is valued,respected and given the choice to decide one’s direction in life withoutdiscrimination, coercion or neglect. In a bid to accelerate the abandon-ment process UNFPA and UNICEF have combined the right-based basedapproach with culturally sensitive approaches to sustain behaviour changetowards FGM/C practice. Both agencies recognize that since FGM/Chas a strong cultural value in many contexts, it is imperative to initiatedialogues with communities on the preservation of positive cultural val-ues, whilst a policy of abandonment is pursued. Staff involved in FGM/Cabandonment programmes must communicate effectively with religiousand cultural leaders to ensure that the goals of the programme are notmisinterpreted, as being a value judgment on the society or its culture.UNFPA also mobilizes people through culturally sensitive approaches thatenable community members, including adolescents, women, teachers andparents, to become involved in Behaviour Change Communication activi-ties at grassroots level and hence contribute to change in attitudes to-wards the practice. In addition, UNICEF has developed an innovativeapproach on collective social change that is shared with UNFPA and other

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partners and aims at a “convention” shift towards involving mass aban-donment of the practice.

UNFPA and UNICEF’s programmes are designed holistically within thespecific cultural and religious context of the particular community. The mostinnovative insights for policy and programmes have resulted from the conver-gence in understanding between social scientific theory and field-based expe-riences. The use of culturally sensitive approaches and the social conventionmodel in particular, provided important insights for structuring the analyses ofFGM/C social convention and other self-enforcing social conventions that areharmful to children and women. Social convention theory focuses on the inter-dependence of decision-making, i.e. that the decision of one individual is de-pendent on the decision of others, therefore making it very difficult for oneindividual or family to stop the practice, even if they recognize the harmfulconsequences of FGM/C. By highlighting the collective nature of FGM/Cpractice, social convention theory explains why a collective is an imperativefor the promotion of abandonment on a large-scale.

The convergence of theory, programmatic experiences and partnershipswith supportive networks of human rights activists and religious leaders hasenabled a concerted focus on the elements that promote positive collectivesocial change. Programmatic experiences have demonstrated effectiveness instimulating and empowering communities towards the abandonment ofFGM/C Programmatic activities have included non-formal education to pro-vide new knowledge and skills, as well as non-directive dialogue amongstwomen, men and across generations. In addition to promoting humanrights, these activities have encouraged communities to raise problemsand define solutions, and in the process stimulate positive social change.

Social change at community level may be hindered or enhanced by ac-tivities at national and cross-national levels. Positive activities may include thereview, reform and enforcement of effective policies and legislation, as well asstimulating dialogue at national level, especially when the harmful practices are amatter of taboo. The media can also play a crucial role in disseminating accurateinformation to households and in creating awareness about positive social changesoccurring within communities. It is imperative that activities engage various sectorsof the society, including traditional, religious and government leaders. Moreover, itis critical to mobilize young people, so as to effect a change in perceptions ofFGM/C and promote gender equality at an earlier age.

Although effective legislation and law enforcement are crucial in high-lighting the position of the state towards FGM/C practice and supporting changeat the community level, UNFPA and UNICEF are cognizant of the fact thatlegal action by itself is insufficient to bring about a change in this social con-vention. Indeed, important programmatic lessons and evaluations of FGM/Cinterventions indicate the following:

a) A comprehensive understanding of the community’s mental map andculture, which determines why FGM/C practice has persisted, is a

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prerequisite for the development of effective and results-orientedFGM/C interventions.

b) Building partnerships and coordinated campaigns among a critical massof organizations are useful strategies towards the elimination of FGM/C.

c) Well-designed Behaviour Change Communication programmes raiseawareness and promote attitude change, but are insufficient by them-selves, in changing complex behaviour and practices like FGM/C, andrequire other bases in order for a programme to be successful.

d) New insights on the social dynamics of FGM/C provided by the latestdevelopment in the social sciences.

e) The abandonment of FGM/C may be accelerated by an innovative pro-gramming and communication approach that aims at leveraging commu-nity-led, collective social convention change.

f) Regional, national and local institutions with knowledge, skills and ex-periences to plan and implement culturally-sensitive FGM/C interven-tions, as well as to influence strategic partnership building for policyformulation and implementation of FGM/C interventions. These institu-tions must operate in partnership and in coordination with each other.

g) A committed government that supports elimination of FGM/C with positivepolicies, effective enforcement of legislation and provision of resources.

h) Mainstreaming of FGM/C issues into national policies, plans andprogrammes on reproductive health care and poverty eradication.

i) Trained staff that can recognize and manage the physical, sexual andpsychological consequences of FGM/C.

j) Coordination among governmental and non-governmental agencies.

k) A network that advocates for positive policies, effective legal environ-ment and increased support for programmes and public education.

Empirical evidence and experiences drawn from best practices indicate theimportance of linking legal framework reform and holistic community-led pro-gramming with poverty reduction initiatives, including micro-credit components.

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In view of the dimensions described above, a sub-regional approachbuild upon current approaches with demonstrated success and foster coordi-nated action among countries with similar characteristics.

The characteristics under evaluation include the following:

Status of the practice

Type/severity of practice; prevalence of FGM/C; number of people withinpopulation who practice, location in the DHS region.

Attitude

Discrepancy between attitude towards the practice (opposition) andpractising behaviour according to DHS and MICS.

History of abandonment

Previous demonstrations of abandonment within specific areas in thecountry, as well as previous demonstrations in the country and in theneighbouring vicinity.

Regional/ethnic connections

Shared ethnic groups with neighbouring countries that continue to haveFGM/C practice; shared ethnic groups with neighbouring countries thathave already abandoned FGM/C practice; influence on other countriesthrough shared ethnic groupings and languages.

Enabling environment

Attitude of communities, governments and policymakers at the nationaland local levels, and international, non-governmental and community-based organizations (commitment towards abandonment); attitude of thetraditional and religious leadership, and intellectual/educational commu-nity; media environment and presence of potentially supportive actorsand resources.

In order to maximize acceleration of abandonment efforts, programmeplanning, focus and resources considerations should strategically account forthe following key elements:

Abandonment or explicit intention of abandonment through anyform of public pledge is unfolding on a large-scale.

4.Sub-regional/SegmentationApproach of the Programme

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An evolving community context leads to increasingly widespreadopposition to the practice, resulting in a collective decision to abandonFGM/C and this may create rapid and sustainable social change to-wards FGM/C.

Ethnicity, which is the most aggregating variable across a given sub-region and other common perpetrating and perpetuating factors, such asreligious command, honour and modesty codes, secret societies andrites of passage.

A history of abandonment.

Using a segmentation approach based on FGM/C prevalence in Africaat the sub-national level (please refer to the map below), six sub-regions/blocks of countries have been identified for immediate acceleration:

a) Block One: The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritaniaand Senegal, where abandonment is unfolding on a large-scale.

Rationale: The abandonment process occurring in Senegal has reacheda critical point in its development. Senegal’s progress indicates the like-lihood of wide-spread abandonment to all regions where FGM/C is prac-ticed, provided that adequate resources are devoted to allow for a scal-ing-up towards acceleration of the abandonment process. The Senegalexperience is being replicated in the Gambia and Guinea and is beingadapted for the Mauritanian context.

b) Block Two: Burkina Faso and northern Ghana, where there is increas-ingly widespread opposition to the practice, as well as effective lawenforcement.

Rationale: Burkina Faso is one country where the law against FGM/Cis systematically enforced, and the pace of implementation is unique insub-Saharan Africa. A high discrepancy between prevalence and atti-tudes also suggests a receptive population. Burkina Faso shares ethnicgroups with the northern region of Ghana, where FGM/C prevalence isestimated at 80 percent, whilst the national prevalence of FGM/C forGhana is estimated to be 5 percent (DHS 2003). Further, Ghana has en-forced legislation against FGM/C practice. A positive association betweenlaw enforcement and application of the afore-mentioned elements for aban-donment at the community level may enable Burkina Faso and Ghana torealize a major acceleration of the abandonment process by 2012.

c) Block Three: Eritrea, which has an increasingly widespread opposi-tion to the practice, and where a law prohibiting FGM/C was enactedon 20th March 2007.

Rationale: DHS 2002 results indicate that Eritrea experienced a highdiscrepancy between the rate of prevalence (89 percent), and oppositionto the practice (49 per cent). Eritrea is a high-priority country, as the ability

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to spearhead an accelerated process of abandonment with relative ease ispossible. Evidence suggests that a critical mass of the population is willing toabandon or has already silently abandoned FGM/C in Eritrea; it is thereforeenvisaged that further community intervention may create a tipping pointand establish a permanent shift in the social convention.

d) Block Four: Djibouti, Ethiopia (Afar and Somali regions), Kenya (So-mali), Somalia and Sudan, identified along shared ethnic lines and addi-tional shared perpetrating factors.

Rationale: A religious movement is unfolding in Sudan to ‘de-link’ FGM/C from religious teachings, which may have an overall impact in the EastAfrican region as well as within this particular block of countries. Giventhat religious duty is a separate causal factor, supporting the religiousauthorities is a key element towards accelerating the process of abandon-ment. Moreover, Djibouti, Kenya (Somali population) and Somalia sharethe same ethnicity, culture and language. Moreover, they share an honourand modesty code. It may thus be possible to use the existing Sudanesereligious movement and some initiatives already unfolding, such as Entisharin Sudan and/or adaptation of the Deir el Barsha initiative in Egypt, to accel-erate the movement for abandonment in this specific block of countries.

e) Block Five: Egypt, due to its history of abandonment

Rationale: Egypt has reported a decrease in the number of adolescentgirls subjected to FGM/C; The 2005 DHS indicated 77 percent preva-lence for girls aged 15-17 compared to 96 percent for ever-marriedwomen aged 15-49. Further, the 2005 DHS showed a decrease in sup-port by 14 points compared to 1995 DHS data, and may attest to asocial change in FGM/C practice. Whilst, this is a slow decrease com-pared to Burkina Faso and Eritrea, it is also an indicator of an unfoldingabandonment trend.

f) Block Six: Kenya (non-Somali), Uganda, the United Republic of Tan-zania, due to history of abandonment.

Rationale: Similar to other countries with FGM/C prevalence, below40 percent, the younger age groups in non-Somali Kenya consistentlyreveal lower prevalence rates. This may be attributed to pockets of prac-ticing groups living in close contact with non-practicing groups. Furtherthe decrease amongst the younger generation is associated with specificFGM/C interventions, along with the overall modernization of the coun-try. Similar characteristics are found in Uganda and the United Republicof Tanzania, where there is shared ethnicity amongst certain groups. It ispossible to address certain weaknesses of the rite-of-passage approachand transform it into a powerful social movement towards abandonmentof FGM/C across these three countries.

Additional countries may be considered and added to the six sub-re-gions/blocks of countries already identified above.

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MMMMMAPAPAPAPAP: FGM/C : FGM/C : FGM/C : FGM/C : FGM/C PREVALENCEPREVALENCEPREVALENCEPREVALENCEPREVALENCE INININININ A A A A AFRICAFRICAFRICAFRICAFRICA ATATATATAT THETHETHETHETHE SUBSUBSUBSUBSUB-----NATIONALNATIONALNATIONALNATIONALNATIONAL LEVELLEVELLEVELLEVELLEVEL

This map is a DevInfo application showing prevalence at the sub-national level and cross-border similarities and segmentation of high-prevalence areas. The six sub-regions/blocks of countries have beenidentified based on information from the above map (DHS, MICS andother national surveys, 1997-2005).

The main international objective as set by the 2002 Special Session for Chil-dren was formulated as follows: to end harmful practices such as femalegenital mutilation by 2010. This objective is currently missed. UNICEF,UNFPA and other UN agencies are currently revising this objective, and it islikely to be realigned with 2015, which is the expected year of the MDGs.This revised objective will be discussed further at the forthcoming session onchildren in December 10-12 2007.

Therefore, the specific objective of this proposal is to contribute to anaccelerated process of abandonment of FGM/C in 17 countries, within the 5year time-frame (i.e. 2012) of the proposed programme.

Using the segmentation approach, the six sub-regions/blocks comprisethe following countries,namely, Burkina FasoDjibouti, Egypt, Eritrea,Ethiopia, Gambia, northernGhana, Guinea, GuineaBissau, Kenya (Somali) non-Somali Kenya, Mali,Mauritania, Senegal, Somalia,the Sudan, United Republic ofTanzania and Uganda.

The strategic focus for thisjoint proposal is to improveand accelerate efforts byUNFPA and UNICEF and itspartners to work with com-munities within these 17 coun-tries towards the abandon-ment of FGM/C. Drawing onnew developments in thesocial sciences and fromempirical evidence, an innova-tive human rights based andcommunity engagement ap-proach will be utilised toenhance complementarymeasures, such as effectivelegislation, strengthening the re-productive health care servicesand youth education initiatives.

Objectives of the Programme5.

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The outcomes that will help achieve the specific objective of this programme are:

The process of abandonment of FGM/C is accelerated in the 17 coun-tries covered by the programme, with at least one country declaredFGM/C free by the end of the programme.

Community and national efforts already identified as promising for lead-ing to positive social transformation are expanded and constitute a large-scale movement, within and across national boundaries.

Expected Outcomes6.

Expected Outputs7.

Effective enactment and enforcement of legislation against FGM/C.

Knowledge dissemination of socio-cultural dynamics of FGM/Cpractice.

Collaboration with key global development partners on a common frame-work for the abandonment of FGM/C.

Evidence-based data for programming and policies.

Consolidation of existing partnerships and forging of new partnerships.

Expanding networks of religious leaders advocating abandonment ofFGM/C.

Media campaigns emphasising FGM/C abandonment process in Sub-Saharan Africa, Sudan and Egypt.

Better integration of the implications of FGM/C practice into repro-ductive health strategies.

Building donor support to pool resources for a global movementtowards abandonment of FGM/C.

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The proposed formula utilised for this joint programme is the so-called passthrough mechanism. UNFPA will be the Administrative Agent (AA) of thejoint programme and as such will be responsible for the following:

Developing and signing a Memorandum of Understanding with UNICEF.

Negotiating and signing a Letter of Agreement with donors willing tocollaborate in the Joint Programme.

Receiving contributions and disbursing funds to UNICEF, in accordancewith decisions of the Joint Programme Steering Committee that alsotake into account the budget, as set out in the Joint Programme Docu-ment.

Preparing a consolidated narrative progress and financial reports basedon reports submitted by UNICEF.

A Joint Steering Committee will be set up, comprising all agencies anddonors that are signatories to the Joint Programme. Committee members mayinvite observers to take part in committee activities as required.

The role of the Joint Steering Committee is to:

Facilitate the effective and efficient collaboration between participatingUN Agencies and Donors for implementation of the Joint Programme.

Approve the joint work plan and consolidated budget.

Instruct the Administrative Agent to disburse funds, as per the approvedbudget.

Agree on modification/s to the Joint Programme.

Review the implementation of the Joint Programme.

An Advisory Board will also be established and will be chaired bythe Coordinator of the programme. The Advisory Board will monitor theresults of the Joint Program and provide guidance whenever needed witha minimum input biannually. The Advisory Board will report to the JointSteering Committee. The Coordinator and Secretariat of the programmewill be located at UNFPA. The Coordinator will be jointly appointed byUNICEF and UNFPA.

In each of the 17 countries, UNICEF and UNFPA Country Represen-tatives will be responsible for the implementation of the programme activities,

Governance Structure andProgramme Administration8.

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under the system of the Resident Coordinator. Country Representatives willdevelop a plan of action and budget allocations will be made, according to therespective comparative advantages of each agency.

NGOs will be eligible to apply for funds within the framework of theprogramme. NGOs may have their own administrative and operational sup-port costs. Such costs are reported as part of programme expenditures.

In line with UNDG Guidance Notes on Joint Programming the followingindirect costs will apply:

As Administrative Agent, UNFPA will charge a 1% fee on funds re-ceived into the Joint Programme Account.

As participating agency responsible for one component of the JointProgramme and in accordance with its Executive Board decisions onsupport costs, UNFPA will recover 7% in indirect costs against expen-ditures incurred under its component.

As participating agency responsible for one component of the JointProgramme and in accordance with its Executive Board decisions onsupport costs, UNICEF will recover 7% in indirect costs against ex-penditures incurred under its component.

Baseline surveys will be conducted in selected localities, which will assist inthe final assessment and evaluation of the programme outcomes.

Indicators at the community level will evaluate the following:

Attitudes in terms of opposition to or support for FGM/C amongst mem-bers of the community, including women, men and community leaders(formal and informal).

Status of daughters who have either undergone FGM/C or who havenot undergone the practice. This is defined as the circumcision status ofat least one living daughter (the most recently circumcised), as referredby mothers

Women’s empowerment in terms of ability to voice their concerns inpublic, as well as seeking reproductive health services.

Public pledges by communities to abandon FGM/C practice.

Performance Monitoring9.

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The most important stakeholders within the community, who are simultaneouslybeneficiaries, are the girls and women who suffer from harmful practices thatare regarded as traditions within their particular context. Therefore, support-ing processes of change within these communities will entail working with devel-opment NGOs that are active at community level, as well as with national, regionaland local government authorities. Moreover, implementation activities will have toensure engagement of traditional, religious and government leaders.

At the international level, stakeholders would include governmental andnon-governmental organizations and private foundations that are committedto supporting the achievement of the MDGs, with specific reference to em-powerment and ensuring the rights of young girls and women. In this regard,since 2000, the Donors Working Group (DWG) on Female Genital Mutila-tion/Cutting has served as a facilitation mechanism for development agenciesand foundations to coordinate their efforts to bring an end to this harmfulpractice. Currently, the DWG includes UNFIP; UNFPA; UNICEF; WHO;European Commission; World Bank; Development Cooperation of Germany(GTZ); Finland; Italy; Sweden (SIDA); United Kingdom (DFID); UnitedStates (USAID); Ford Foundation; Public Welfare Foundation and the WallaceGlobal Fund. In December 2006 the DWG committed to elaborate on a com-mon framework of action towards the abandonment of FGM/C.

Stakeholders10.

Indicators at the global level will include Governments commitment, po-litical will and policies towards the following:

Existence and enforcement of legislation.

National plan of action.

Resources allocated for FGM/C prevention activities.

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In view of UNICEF and UNFPA’s refocused attention on harmful social prac-tices that affect young girls and women, this proposed project on FGM/C isfounded on strong conceptual clarity and empirical evidence.

Whilst empirical evidence indicates that significant progress can be madein accelerating the process of abandonment, it is nevertheless important toconsider that decrease in prevalence may be difficult to measure within fiveyears time from the commencement of an intervention

In terms of cultural sensitivity, it will be necessary to anticipate and iden-tify some of the risks associated with the different phases of the programme.Further, it would also be helpful to anticipate how different sectors of thecommunity and society may react to the intervention. In this instance, it wouldbe imperative to be aware of the possibility of a conservative backlash fromthe community.

The potential risks for UN agencies within particular contexts will beconsidered and measures will be taken to ensure that the credibility of the UN

agencies and its partnersis safeguarded. In thissense, it is crucial that theUN agencies are not per-ceived as imparting a par-ticular agenda or ideologi-cal framework, which isnot in the best interests ofthe community. Hence,careful consideration willbe given to how issues areconceptualised andframed.

Assumptions and Risks11.

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Text Box

22

Annex 1 Best Practices

UNFPA and UNICEF have provided specific support to initiatives, whosepositive results have been confirmed by formal assessments and long-termimpact evaluations. Amongst the most successful are those initiatives that offeralternative safe rituals to serve as rites of passage. For example, in Uganda, itwas possible to create change in practices without compromising cultural val-ues. Another successful intervention is the inclusion and participation of localleaders, including religious leaders, who thoroughly understand the existingnorms, attitudes and social dynamics of the community, and who are the mostacceptable and credible persons to disseminate information as agents of change.In Cote d’Ivoire, support to a women’s rights group enabled policy-makersto become sensitized for the need for legislation and this helped in adoptinglegislation against FGM/C.

Specific examples of successful initiatives include the following:

1. Djibouti

In cooperation with the Ministries of Health, Education and the Promo-tion of Women, as well as the National Union of Djibouti women, the UNsystem supported activities that aimed at elimination of FGM/C. Sensitizingthe various key players in Djibouti involved in eliminating FGM/C formed amajor part of the undertaking. Work has also been geared towards religiousgroups, teachers, medical personnel and women who perform the FGM/Cprocedure.

The programme for the abandonment of FGM/C has become part of theNational Strategy, and is an integral part of the office for Women and Devel-opment.

Three main issues identified in the fight against FGM/C are:

Promotion of Women’s health within the community.

Integration of the life cycle within reproductive health.

Institutionalization programmes for the abandonment of harmful prac-tices, such as FGM/C.

2. East Africa North (Arabic), Upper Egypt

Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services covering the villagesof Al Bayadya, Al Tayeba, Beni Ghani and Deir el Barsha in the governorateof Minya.

Community initiatives include capacity-building, enhancement of lead-ers, and a gender-sensitive, responsibility-based integrated approach.

2323232323

External evaluation

It Is Not Going Back: The experience of an Egyptian village in combat-ing female circumcision, Cairo Centre for Human Rights Studies, 1998.

This evaluation found a sharp decrease in FGM/C prevalence over aperiod of five years (specific time- frame), which was sustainable over time.The process of abandonment comprised five stages. During the fourth stage(‘action’ stage), groups within communities were convinced of the harmfulconsequences of FGM/C. These groups developed a concept that was strongenough to declare and insist on. In other words, their behaviour changed pub-licly. Leaders signed a public statement as well as public lists for subscriptionto reject FGM/C for their own daughters, which were circulated by women’scommittees amongst families willing to abandon the practice.

3. East Africa (highlands), Kenya

Alternative rites of passage, Maendeleo Ya Wanawake in the districts ofGucha, Narok and Tharaka.

This approach influences families and individuals within communities toadopt alternative rituals that exclude genital cutting, but maintain other essen-tial components of the traditional ritual, such as education for girls on familylife and the role of women, exchange of gifts, eating good food and a publicdeclaration for community recognition.

External evaluation

An Assessment of the Alternative Rites Approach for Encouraging Aban-donment of Female Genital Mutilation in Kenya, Frontiers in ReproductiveHealth, Population Council, 2001.

According to this evaluation, the contribution that an alternative rite in-tervention can make depends on the socio-cultural context in which FGM/Cis practiced. The successful replication of this approach in other situations willrequire a good understanding of the role of public ceremonies (as opposed tofamilial) in that culture, as well as careful consideration of which ritual formatcan be most appropriately utilised to help those who have decided to aban-don the practice.

4. West Africa North, Senegal

Tostan in the following regions: Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies and Zinguishor.

Tostan is a non-formal, learner-centred education programme with ahuman rights foundation. Key elements of Tostan’s strategy to end FGM/Cinclude community-led social mobilization, public declarations and organizeddiffusion strategy.

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External evaluation

The Tostan Program: Evaluation of a community–based education pro-gram in Senegal, Frontiers in Reproductive Health, Population Council, GTZ,Tostan, 2004.

This evaluation states that “(t)he impact of the Tostan program on womenand men’s well being has been substantial. The program has been able tobring about a social change within the community and to mobilize the villagersfor better environmental hygiene, respect for human rights and improvementof health, as well as specifically reducing support for the practice of FGC.Extending the Tostan program to other areas of Senegal and to other Africancountries could make a difference to the well-being of women and of thecommunity as a whole.”

The above-mentioned list of successful initiatives is not exhaustive. Rather,it exemplifies the existence of community-led initiatives with demonstratedresults that are available at the time of writing this proposal. These initiativesare consistent with social convention theory, which informs this joint strategyand provides insights on way forward. All four initiatives mentioned aboveutilise an integrated development approach and contain an element of publicpledge, as a major step towards abandonment of FGM/C.

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Annex 2 Logical Framework UNFPA-UNICEF JointProgramme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting[1]

TABLE 1: MAIN OBJECTIVE

Object iveObject iveObject iveObject iveObject iveInterventionInterventionInterventionInterventionIntervention

Logic/ActivitiesLogic/ActivitiesLogic/ActivitiesLogic/ActivitiesLogic/ActivitiesVerif iableVerif iableVerif iableVerif iableVerif iableIndicatorsIndicatorsIndicatorsIndicatorsIndicators

Sources ofSources ofSources ofSources ofSources ofInformationInformationInformationInformationInformation

Assumptions/Assumptions/Assumptions/Assumptions/Assumptions/RisksRisksRisksRisksRisks

Abandonmentof FGM/C in onegeneration withdemonstratedsuccess in 17countries by2012.

C o o r d i n a t e dand systematic in-tervention strat-egy implementedwithin and across17 countries.

Developmentof partnershipswith key membersof community; civilsociety organisa-tions; and local andnational govern-ments.

Involvement ofcommunity mem-bers in implemen-tation activities.

Collective de-cision by intra-marrying group tochange FGM/Cpractice.

Baseline mea-sures of prevalenceof FGM/C amongwomen, (definedas proportion ofwomen aged 15-49) reporting inci-dence of FGM/C.

Prevalence ofFGM/C amongdaughters (0-15years) of women incommunity.

Attitudes to-wards FGM/Camong womenfavouring continu-ation of the prac-tice.

Vil lage pub-licly declares in-tention of aban-doning practice.

Department ofHealth Surveys(DHS) and Mul-tiple Cluster Indi-cator Surveys(MICS).

Using Schell-ing’s (1960) socialconvention theory,abandonment ofFGM/C practicerequires collectivecommunity dy-namic.

Leveraging atipping point willresult in a shift inthe social conven-tion.

[1] This condensed logical framework comprises three tables outlining the objective, outcomes and outputs of the joint programmerespectively. An extensive and detailed logical framework is available on request.

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TABLE 2: EXPECTED OUTCOMES





A change inthe social con-vention withinthe communitytowards theabandonment ofFGM/C.

A w a r e n e s sthrough training ofcommunity man-agement commit-tees and elected lo-cals using a non-judgemental officialapproach.

Adapting andutilising non-formallearning modulesfor community-ledintervention.

Training of lo-cal NGOS and fa-cilitators.

Provision of re-sources.

Measurementand evaluation ofb e h a v i o r a lchanges in post-declaration phase

Pre and postbaseline measuresof att itudes bywomen towardsFGM/C.

Public Pledgeand other forms ofpublic statementstowards abandon-ment.

Increased ca-pacity of women toparticipate in pub-lic debates.

Baseline mea-sures.

I n t e r v i e w swith women andother members ofthe community.

Feedback fromreproductive healthcare sector.

Explicit publicdeclaration bycommunity to col-lectively committo changing FGM/C practice.

Evaluation re-ports.

L o n g - t e r mevaluation of suc-cessful interven-tions e.g. Tostanand Mynia in Up-per Egypt.

Active partici-pation by commu-nity and collabora-tion of local andnational authority.

Diffusion of in-formation guidedthrough appropri-ate social net-works.

Communit iesreject the pro-gramme, with pos-sible counter-movement againstFGM/C practice.

OUTCOME 1

OUTCOME 2

Positivecommunity andnational effortstowards socialtransformation areexpanded withinand across coun-tries.

I n te r -v i l l agemeetings and travelto different localesto disseminate posi-tive social changeexperiences.

Local radio talkshows.

Local publicforums.

Organised dif-fusion of good prac-tice through jointpublic pledges atlocal, national andtransnational levels..

Expansion ofpromising socialtransformation ef-forts.

A t t i t u d i n a lshift.

Number of vil-lages accessed.

Information bylocal authorities.

Training work-shop reports.

Progress re-ports from projectstaff.

Pre and postbaseline measuresthrough evaluationcomponent ofprogramme.

Diffusion pro-cess occurs withini n t r a - m a r r y i n ggroups.

Decision toabandon FGM/C isnot as widespreadand proves unsus-tainable.

Resistance andrejection of processdue to perceivedvalue judgmentagainst community.

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TABLE 3: EXPECTED OUTPUTS





Effectiveenactment andenforcement oflegislation againstFGM/C.

Increased po-licing.

E d u c a t i o n a lcampaigns linkedto enforcement oflegislation.

Increase in le-gal action and ef-fective sentencing.

Evidence ofratified legal docu-mentation.

Parliamentaryrecords.

L e g i s l a t i v ejournals.

Tribunal reports.

Polit ical wil land Governmentcommitment.

FGM/C maybecome clandes-tine.

OUTPUT 1

OUTPUT 2

Knowledgedissemination ofsocial-culturaldynamics of FGM/C practice.

Collaborationwith academia andcommunity practi-tioners to enhanceexisting theories onimplications ofharmful socialnorms.

Support to IN-TACT for dissemi-nation of knowl-edge generated byproject.

New theoreti-cal contributionsgenerating greaterunderstanding ofFGM/C practice.

C o n t r a c t u a lagreement with IN-TACT ensures syn-ergy with rest ofproject’s activities.

P u b l i c a t i o n sand reports.

Effective col-laboration withacademia and se-lected partners.

Academic con-tribution may notby easily applicableto practical reali-ties at grassrootslevel.

OUTPUT 3

Collaborationwith key globaldevelopmentpartners on acommon frame-work towardsabandonment ofFGM/C.

Consolidationwithin revisedframework of suc-cessful programmeexperiences by na-tional NGOs; socialscience theory anda human rights-based perspective.

Consensus andundersigning ofcommon frame-work document byUN agencies.

Consensus bynational govern-ments and donors.

Signed joint UNdocumentation.

Considerabledelay in releasingdocuments andlack of consensuson the way for-ward.

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TABLE 3: EXPECTED OUTPUTS (continued)





Evidence-based data forprogramming andpolicies.

Pre and postbaseline measuresof FGM/C preva-lence by age cohort,status of daughters(0-15 years) andclosed vs. opencases of FGM/C us-ing DHS and MICSurvey data.

Expansion ofdata analysis in-cludes six countrieswith inconclusivedata namely:Sierra Leone; Togo;G u i n e a – B i s s a u ;Democratic Repub-lic of Congo; Ugandaand Liberia.

Availability ofprevalence data forthese six countries.

E x p a n d e danalyses of coun-tries under investi-gation.

P u b l i c a t i o n sand surveys givingupdated estimatesof FGM/C preva-lence.

Progress re-ports from UNFPAand UNICEF staff.

P u b l i c a t i o n sand surveys maynot use comparablemethodologies.

Lack of controlover DHS calendar.

OUTPUT 4

OUTPUT 5

Consolidationof existing part-nerships andforging of newpartnerships.

Existing part-nerships enhancedthrough effectivecooperation.

Increase innumber of func-tioning coalitions.

Adoption of UNJoint Statement anda common frame-work with partners.

Par tnersh ipswill result in adher-ence to a commonframework.

New partner-ships actively fos-tered.

Ineffective col-laboration and de-lays in outputs.

OUTPUT 6

Media cam-paign emphasisingFGM/C abandon-ment process inSub-SaharanAfrica, Sudan andEgypt.

Strengtheningcapacity of media togiven appropriateand effective mediacoverage to FGM/Cabandonment.

Facilitation ofpress conferencesand other mediaactivities.

Specific activi-ties to stimulatenational dialogue onFGM/C.

Greater mediacoverage on FGM/C in terms numberand quality ofpress releases onhuman rights andchanges in atti-tude towardsFGM/C practice.

Increase in ini-tiatives to addressharmful socialnorms at grassrootslevel.

Articles pub-lished by Africanand internationalmedia.

Specific webportals.

Analysis ofpress reviews.

Mass mediap r o g r a m m e sopens up space forcommunity dia-logue.

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TABLE 3: EXPECTED OUTPUTS (continued)





Better inte-gration of impli-cations of FMG/Cpractice intoreproductivehealth strategies.

Developing ca-pacity of health caresystem, particularlyreproductive healthcare services.

Training mid-wives regarding thecomplications ofFGM/C.

Inclusion of 24hour emergencyhotline.

Educative com-ponents: includingwomen and youtheducation initiatives.

Increase in thenumber of healthcare providers.

Inclusion ofFGM/C in pre andpost-natal care.

Inclusion ofFGM/C into medi-cal health trainingcurricula.

Developmentof Reparations Ca-pacities.

Interviews withprimary health careworkers.

Survey and in-terview data.

Training sessionreports.

Women readilyaccessing healthcare system.

Members ofthe community maycontinue FGM/Cpractice by seekingalternative practi-tioners.

OUTPUT 7

OUTPUT 8

Buildingdonors support topool resources fora global move-ment towardsabandonment ofFGM/C in onegeneration.

Ana lys is o fanticipated globalprogramme costsand possible ben-efits.

I n c r e a s e dsources of funding.

Financial re-ports.

Lack of donorfunding.

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FGM Proposal Donors - UNFPA

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