Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Learning Mobility of Individuals
Action Type: Youth mobility
Project reference: 2020-1-FR02-KA105-017323
Duration: 2020 - 2021
Project Description:
A defeating fact to us all as mankind is the continuing abundance of oppression forms towards all members of the female gender even in the 21st century. A combination of psychological and cruel physical violence, the worst form of female oppression is Female Genital Circumcision or Mutilation – FGM for short. It encompasses all procedures which include partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Such injuries are: pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area. FGM affects young girls and women both physically and psychologically with devastating consequences. They range from haemorrhage, shock, infections, death (as the most immediate physical ones) to vaginal, urinary, menstrual, sexual problems, increased risk of childbirth complications (as long-term physical ones). Psychological problems caused by FGM include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress
disorder and low self-esteem.
According to the World Health Organization “FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. It is nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children. The practice also violates a person's rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death.
In our project we aim to raise awareness of the severity of FGM as a practice and its commonness not only in African countries from where it originates, but in European and other countries in the world where African migrants have settled and have continued practising it. We strive to awaken the collective responsibility for basic human rights and dignity for girls among members of the FGM practicing communities. FGM is rooted in misogyny. Some connect it to religion, however it has no religious bearing. It is performed in underdeveloped communities where the female receives her socioeconomic status in marriage and as a means of procreation. In these communities, if the chances for marriage for the female increase with the performance of FGM, the probability of it being done to the girl increase significantly. It is a tragic fact to mention here that some practise FGM due
to peer pressure. They fear rejection of society and shame brought upon them if a female in their family has not undergone FGM, and the female herself is branded as an outcast and impure.
Therefore, another aim of our project is to foster the education of females and their inclusion into all processes of society as full equal citizens. Through our project we aim to educate youth workers, and through them young people, about FGM and its detrimental effects not only to women, but to the entire family and society, as well as the importance of their education.
The reason we have decided to implement this project in Egypt is that despite the law which criminalizes FGM, its prevalence of 87.2% among all women aged 15–49 in a population of nearly 95 million, it has the largest number of females who have undergone FGM of any country in the world.
The African diaspora also practises FGM in Europe, America and the rest of the world. Therefore, if the counties of origin of FGM abolish and obey the law regarding this degrading-to-women practice, then the world will follow its example.
Lead Partner: Réseau des organisations de solidarité international France-Essonne
Project partners:
ASOCIATIA PSIHOLOGILOR PROFESIONISTI DIN ROMANIA - Romania
Oyoun Masr Association for Cultural and Social Development - Egypt
Tiflet Young Leaders Network (Arrouad Achabbab Tiflet) - Morocco
Youtheon -Tunisia