Publication: Malicounda-Bambara - The Sequel : Journey of a Local Revolution
Date
2001-04
ISSN
Published
2001-04
Author(s)
Easton, Peter
Monkman, Karen
Abstract
The note explores the dimensions of the
initiative to abandon the practice of female genital cutting
(FGC), which begun in Senegal, and spread nationwide, and to
several other African countries. This initiative took part
in a non-formal education program, sponsored by a
Senegal-based nongovernmental organization,
"Tostan", a program focused on themes of
women's health, and human rights, and the beginnings of
literacy. During the training program, women shared their
experiences on this taboo topic, and confronted them with a
new sense of women's rights, by approaching local
authorities, and community members to win support for a
declaration of intent to abandon this practice. The
statement renouncing the practice, made in July 1997, made a
minor media impact, though in local culture it did have
greater impacts, despite some opposition. Regardless of the
controversy, the spread of the initiative reached a turning
point, when a religious leader became supportive of this
cultural change, which led to the development of a strategy.
Essentially, the strategy strength was based on its
collective nature, on the fact that it came across as a
movement for internal consistency, and liberation, not as an
outside condemnation, and, it was an empowering method,
i.e., its resolution was left to the initiative of each
community, and its members.
Citation
“Easton, Peter; Monkman, Karen. 2001. Malicounda-Bambara - The Sequel : Journey of a Local Revolution. Indigenous Knowledge (IK) Notes; No. 31. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/eb2c7759-dffa-5724-89ce-8447776e268e License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”