End Female Genital Mutilation and Keep Girls in School

  • P Project/Program

? Activity Status: Unknown

Key Information

The overall aim of this project is to reduce the female genital mutilation (FGM) prevalence rate in Akwuke community of Enugu State from the current rate which is roughly 85% to 45% by the end of this project which will have a direct effect of keeping girls in school. Akwuke is a rural community in Enugu State, Nigeria. Akwuke is sparsely populated because many of the young people are leaving to try to find work in the urban areas. Akwuke currently has an estimated population of 8,700. Akwuke like most rural communities in Nigeria lacks the basic amenities of good roads, a stable power supply and a portable water supply. Modern technology is lacking and the rate of change slow. A major problem facing Akwuke community is FGM. In Akwuke, most girls and women are mutilated before the age of 5, often during their naming ceremony which serves as a traditional rite of passage. In this regard FGM is seen as part of the naming ceremony and this ceremony is conducted between the 7th and the 12th day after the birth of the girl child. Under the patriarchal system in Akwuke community, women and girls are seen as inferior to the men and have little or no opportunity for advancement. This inferiority is exemplified in so many ways beginning in early childhood. Women and girls are considered less important with few rights particularly in the areas of education and land inheritance. By creating dialogue with traditional and religious leaders from Akwuke, who are commonly referred to as community gatekeepers and who wield a great deal of influence in the community, this project will aim to address the problem at its root with a change in mindset. This will be an inclusive approach with conversations addressed at family heads, elders, opinion leaders, teachers, and young people who will be part of the social change intervention needed to ensure a change of attitude toward ending FGM by the entire community.


Lead Implementing Organization(s)

Location(s)

Sub-Saharan Africa

Nigeria

Government Affiliation

Non-governmental program

Years

Not applicable or unknown

Partner(s)

Society for the Improvement of Rural People

Ministry Affiliation

Unknown

Funder(s)

Not applicable or unknown

COVID-19 Response

Unknown

Geographic Scope

National

Meets gender-transformative education criteria from the TES  

Unknown

Areas of Work Back to Top

Education areas

Other

  • Other

Cross-cutting areas

  • Early/child marriage
  • Female genital mutilation/cutting
  • Gender equality
  • Other cultural practices
  • Social and gender norms and beliefs

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Community leaders, Religious leaders

Age

Not applicable or unknown

School Enrolment Status

Population of interest is not school-aged

School Level

  • N/A

Other populations reached

  • Fathers
  • Girls (both in school and out of school)
  • Mothers
  • Other community members - female
  • Other community members - male

Participants include

Not applicable or unknown

Program Approaches Back to Top

Community engagement/advocacy/sensitization

  • Community mobilization

Other

  • Other activities to end child marriage (not captured above)

Social/gender norms change

  • Engaging parents/caregivers of students or school-age children/adolescents

Women's empowerment programs

  • Advocacy/action

Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Increased school completion (general)
  • Increased school enrolment (general)

Cross-cutting goals

  • Changed social norms
  • Improved mental health
  • Improved sexual and reproductive health
  • More equitable gender attitudes and norms
  • Other
  • Reduced child marriage