Action
Aid-The Gambia in partnership with the Network against Gender-based Violence,
yesterday launched a project on “Strengthening the capacity of the network to
advocate for the eradication of FGM\C in The Gambia.”
The launching of the project was held at the Action-Aid head office in Kanifing.
The project, which is under the funding of “Amplifying Change” with its donors, is geared towards contributing to the promotion of sexual reproductive health and rights of women and girls in the country, and also to strengthen the capacity of the network in popularising the anti-FGM/C Act.
The project under the implementation of the network would contain a series of advocacies, campaigns, awareness raising, training and institutions’ capacity building, research and documentation, over a period of two years, and it is registered that the network had commenced the implementation of some of these strategies.
One of the project aims is also to provide an insight research on issues affecting women and girls with major focus on FGM/C, and these would be done with identified gynecologists and some of the major hospitals in The Gambiai.e. EFSTH, Bansang, Brikama, and other key groups of religious leaders and circumcisers.
This is to document proper facts on issues affecting women and girls, especially on FGM/C.
In a brief interview, the women’s rights programme specialist at ActionAid, Fanta Jatta-Sowe, said the project is an opportunity to consolidate progress already made in advocacy against FGM/C.
“The
project will also contribute to the already existing evidence and experiences,
to better guide our work at the community and policy level,” she added.