Final Evaluation: Community Driven FGM/C Abandonment and Women Empowerment in Somaliland
Location: Somalia
Grantee: International Solidarity Foundation (ISF)
Grant period: 1 January 2020 - 31 December 2022
Grant amount: USD 1,429,312
Authors/editors: SORADI
Publication year: 2023
International Solidarity Foundation (ISF) implemented a three-year project “Community Driven FGM/C Abandonment and Women Empowerment in Somaliland” with the support of the UN Trust Fund. The project aimed to:
- empower local communities in Somaliland to abandon all forms of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) by creating awareness of the physical, social and psychological health effects as well as the religious and human rights aspects of FGM/C;
- enhance women’s agency in identifying and claiming their right to bodily integrity; and
- coordinate grassroots movements to collectively advocate for ending FGM/C.
The final evaluation found that the project had clearly contributed to strengthening community commitment to ending the practice of FGM/C.
Main findings of the evaluation:
- The project achieved positive changes in knowledge, attitude and behaviour regarding FGM/C among all secondary beneficiaries and parents reached.
- The percentage of parents who support FGM/C abandonment as a result of participating in the project increased from 72% to 100%.
- Parental readiness and willingness to avoid exposing their daughters to FGM/C rose from 32% in 2020 to 83% in 2022.
- The proportion of religious leaders who believe that all types of genital cutting are harmful increased from 52% to 96%.
- The project unified the voices of civil society organizations on zero tolerance of FGM/C and strengthened their capacity to influence people.
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Bibliographic information
Subject areas:
Ending violence against women and girls
Gender, culture and society
Harmful practices
Health
Human rights
Religion
Resource type(s):
Evaluation reports
Publication year
2023
Publishing entity/ies:
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)