Mali: Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation

BAMAKO, Mali — In late 2006, PSI/Mali began its campaign against female genital mutilation (FGM) to confront the fact that over 90% of Malian woman are excised and no law exists prohibiting the practice.

PSI/Mali, with funding provided by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW Entwicklungsbank (the German development bank), began collaborating with the national committee — le Programme National de Lutte contre l’Excision (PNLE) — on the abandonment of FGM by participating in the February 6th “Zero Tolerance for FGM” ceremony of the International Day against FGM held in Bamako .

The highlight of the ceremony was a presentation made by a 13 year old victim of FGM, who, through an emotionally charged poem, asked her mother why she had excised her, and then addressing Ministry authorities asked how they could tolerate such a practice.

A follow-up project proposed by PSI/Mali addressed social stigma surrounding FGM by running TV and radio spots promoting the abandonment of FGM. Such an anti-stigma campaign was unprecedented in Mali and a close collaboration with the PNLE ensued.

The media spots featured a grandmother praising her son’s wife. Her son agrees but also mentions how, at first, he had been concerned as his wife wasn’t excised. The grandmother then makes a plea that her granddaughter, named after her, not be excised.

The spot began airing on March 8, 2007 — on International Woman’s Day, and despite some initial backlash from the public, the campaign will continue with a follow-up campaign.

The findings from a survey conducted in July 2007 are being used to design a basis for measuring FGM-related interventions and move towards an improved evidence-based, decision-making approach.

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