When we think about female genital mutilation only one thing comes to our mind: We have to stop it!
It is child abuse and a crime against humanity.
FGM is condemned by many international treaties and conventions.
Yet , it is practised in many countries across the world. Sierra Leone is one of them.
9 in 10 girls and women in Sierra Leone have undergone the cruel procedure of FGM. Even more shocking that two in three girls experienced the practice between the ages of 5 and 14.
But when asked, women are more likely than men to support the continuation of the practice. Why?
A woman who is not circumcised is seen as a child in their eyes. Anyone who is not circumcised is not a woman and will be abandoned by the community.
Without FGM they will not be accepted as a fully grown woman in their society. Most of those women (80%) come from poor families and can't afford to attend any kind of school. Studies show that the amount of women who support FGM decreases with education. Education empowers women to think and to question the hurtful practice.
Statistics show that education is crucial in the fight FOR empowerment and against FGM.
There ist evidence of some decline in the prevalence of FGM in Sierra Leone, and attitudes towards the practice have also changed over time.
With our sponsorship programme we provide access to education in order to eradicate female genital mutilation!
Support us in the fight against FGM!
