Since January 2016, Equipop has been a partner in the European CHANGE Plus project. This project, funded by the European Union and coordinated by the German NGO Terre des Femmes, aims to promote the abandonment of female genital mutilation (FGM) among communities living in Europe and originating from countries where it is practiced.
Mobilization on a European scale
In Europe, every year, 180,000 girls and women are at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation (UNHCR, 2014). These are mainly girls and women from countries where FGM is practiced. That is why seven European NGOs (APF, AIDOS, FSAN,End FGM European network, Equipop, Plan Germany, and Terre des Femmes) are joining forces to mobilize African diasporas in six European countries (Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, Belgium, and the Netherlands) to promote the abandonment of female genital mutilation. In each country, agents of change will be identified and trained to raise awareness among their peers. Equipop is responsible for implementing activities in France: identifying and training six change agents and supervising awareness-raising activities. The project targets populations living in Europe, but it will also contribute to ending the practice in Africa thanks to the strong influence of diasporas in their countries of origin.
The commitment of change agents
Awareness-raising among communities originating from countries where FGM is practiced will be carried out through the work of change agents. These change agents are influential individuals from the communities that the project aims to reach. As project manager Aurélie Desrumaux explains, "in order for the abandonment of FGM to be sustainable, it is important that migrant populations are involved." Indeed, FGM knows no borders and is practiced on girls and women living in Europe. It is essential to involve diasporas so that the decision to abandon the practice is intrinsic to the communities. The role of change agents is to make communities aware that female genital mutilation is a violation of human rights and that it has harmful consequences for women's physical and mental health. In France, following Equipop's identification work, four women and two men from four African countries (Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, and Guinea) have committed to becoming agents of change.
Training at stake
To equip them with the strategies and tools they need to raise awareness among their peers, Equipop will train change agents. Equipop will use a specific training manual containing 12 modules on topics related to FGM (women's rights, legislation, sexual and reproductive health and rights, culture and traditions, religion, protection of girls at risk) and interpersonal communication techniques. At the end of this training, change agents will be ready to inform, raise awareness, and mobilize their communities on SRHR.
A motivated team: exciting awareness-raising activities ahead!
On Wednesday, July 27, 2016, the change agents gathered at Equipop's offices for the first meeting of the CHANGE Plus project. The meeting was an opportunity to get to know each other and to present the project and their roles in more detail to the change agents. In France, our team of change agents is motivated and ready to get involved in ending FGM. And, as one of the change agents said, "The practice of female genital mutilation must stop, and we will do everything we can to make that happen!" Exciting awareness-raising activities are on the horizon!
To view the training manual,click here!
