Norway's international effort against female genital mutilation

Intro

• The issue to be dealt with here today is about power, control and repression. There are many ways to exercise power and control. Repression can take many forms. But it is difficult to imagine a more heart breakingly brutal way of controlling others than through female genital mutilation. We are here to present our efforts to put an end to a totally unacceptable practice.

• Female genital mutilation is an age-old cultural tradition that has been traced as far back as to the pharaonic times, predating Islam. It is common in several countries, predominantly in Africa, but it is also practiced in other countries like Yemen and Indonesia.

• This practice has not been entirely below our radar. Norway has since the 1980s supported work against female genital mutilation. But it is a sad fact that relative distance means everything, or as former speaker in the US Congress, Tip O’Neill, put it; “All politics is local”.

• One of the reasons for the new vitality in our efforts against female genital mutilation is that the problem is more visible and closer to us than before, as neighbours and friends are affected by this practice.

• The fight has to be carried out on two fronts: abroad and at home. While my colleague, State Secretary Kjell Erik Øie, will later talk about what we do at the national level, I want to take this opportunity to mark a scaling up of our international effort by pledging NOK 20 mill in support of UNFPA and UNICEF’s joint programme against female genital mutilation.

Some facts about, and important statements against female genital mutilation

• About 6,000 girls undergo female genital mutilation every day, and the World Health Organisation estimates that between 100 – 140 million women worldwide are circumcised.

• Female genital mutilation is always traumatic – pain, shock, infections, excessive bleeding, urine retention and infertility are some of the effects. In addition, all forms of female genital mutilation increases risk of birth related complications, including child mortality.

• The justifications and the rationale behind the practice vary from place to place, and from group to group, transcending religion, ethnic groups, socio-economics and age. There is no doubt however, that the control of female sexuality is the heart of the matter. One of the sad paradoxes of this practice is that little girls are mutilated to ensure their social and economic future.

• Ending female genital mutilation will enhance the human rights of girls and women, contribute to their empowerment, improve maternal health, and reduce child mortality.

Norway’s international effort to end female genital mutilation

• The intervention efforts focus particularly on prevention and advocacy. The target groups are typically men and women with social credibility and status, as well as children.

• The Norwegian Government’s International Action Plan for Combating Female Genital Mutilation was launched in 2003. This plan forms the basis of our international effort against the practice.

• Using human rights as the entry point, the plan focuses on three main areas of effort: 1) the prevention of, and contribution to social mobilisation against female circumcision; 2) the treatment and rehabilitation of both girls and women who have suffered the encroachment; and 3) competence building at all levels.

• In 2006, about NOK 22 million were allocated to this work, mainly through Norwegian and international civil society organisations in close collaboration with local and national governments. A substantial amount of our support is also given to multilateral organisations, like the UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO.

• Although the battle against female genital mutilation may often seem impossible to win, there are positive changes taking place. Norad has recently carried out a survey of our efforts against the practice which will be presented here later today. The report shows that the number of girls being circumcised is declining in Tanzania and Kenya, and to a lesser extent in Ethiopia and Eritrea.

• It is imperative that we keep up our efforts, and ensure that our work has a long term focus.

• The leadership and drive of national governments in the fight against the practice is vital, as is our collaboration with these governments. The Eritrean government has marked itself as a strong opponent against female genital mutilation and shows a great commitment to eradicate the practice. Together with organisations like the UNFPA and international NGOs like the Norwegian Church Aid, Norway collaborates with the Eritrea Women’s Union to this end.

• In addition, the scaling up of our efforts in collaboration with other influential actors is vital. We are therefore glad that we have both Ms Purnima Mane, Deputy Executive Director of the UNFPA, and Mr Dan Toole, Deputy Executive Director in UNICEF here today.

• UNFPA together with UNICEF is in the process of establishing a joint programme on protecting girls from female genital mutilation in 16 countries. The programme will focus on policy dialogue with local and national governments as well as religious leaders. In additioin, the programme aims to mobilise the media, initiate community based activities, research and capacity building. The programme combines a human rights and culturally sensitive approach.

• The meeting here today, gives us a great opportunity to mark our support to the UNFPA/UNICEF programme. 

Ethiopia as a pilot country (project examples)

• Ethiopia was chosen as a pilot country for the implementation of the Action Plan in 2004, and boasts the highest number of projects against female genital mutilation funded by Norway.

• A significant amount of the projects are coordinated by Save the Children, including projects with CARE and other NGOs. Save the Children also implements its own programmes. With a focus on children’s rights the organisation organises radio listening groups, child- and youth groups, recruit and train local change agents, and work to generate alternative income for traditional circumcisers. In 2006, more than 6000 girls of the target group are reported to have escaped circumcision as a result of this work.

• The Norwegian Church Aid is also a crucial partner in Ethiopia. One of their local partners is Kembatta Women’s Self-Help. Their approach to addressing female genital mutilation is community-based, focusing on (reproductive) health, gender equality, human rights, livelihood, and natural resources. One noticeable aspect of their work is public pledges against the practice, where for example a groom declares that he is marrying an uncut bride, and where young girls, who are not circumcised, are given a silver heart with the engravement that says “wimeta”. This means “I am whole”. The project has received widespread attention from outside its region and their methods are integrated into the programmes of other organisations.

• Norway also supports efforts against female genital mutilation in Eritrea, Egypt, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan and Tanzania.

Lessons/Challenges

• Norad has recently completed a mapping of Norwegian supported programmes against female genital mutilation overseas. We will hear Norad’s Director, Poul Engberg-Pedersen present the results of this report afterwards. Let me nevertheless draw your attention to some of the recent trends and new challenges that we will take into account in our forthcoming efforts against female genital mutilation.

• Combined with a growing knowledge of the health risks associated with female circumcision, we see an increasing degree of medicalisation of the practice. In Egypt, 75 per cent of the circumcision of girls is performed by doctors. Serious consequences of this are that circumcision happens at a younger age, and makes the practice seem more acceptable.

• Despite the fact that many of the countries where we support programmes have laws against female genital mutilation, the practice continues. Legal action is necessary, but not sufficient to bring about change. In addition the adoption of laws may drive the practice increasingly under ground, and is also met with resistance in many countries.

• Although laws and their enforcement are critical to fight female genital mutilation, experience shows that these must be complemented by a strong focus on community empowerment that promote human rights and encourages communities themselves to discuss problems and to define solutions, and by so doing stimulating a process of positive social change. A sense of ownership of the programme by local communities is imperative. A significant part of our international work will continue to be channelled through local organisations.

• Finally, we are increasingly concerned with the reported spread of female genital mutilation as a result of conflict. In Sudan, the practice is now reportedly spreading to the south as internally displaced people return from the north where they have picked up the custom.

Finale

• The subject of female genital mutilation is incredibly sensitive which makes communication with governments, communities and people extremely challenging. Nevertheless, with 6000 girls’ health at stake on a daily basis, we must do everything we can to put an end to this. No opportunity must be missed to address female genital mutilation in our dialogue with development partners, politicians, religious and community leaders, civil society groups and solidarity networks.