Thread by @AATSarumi

1. Good evening. Welcome to today’s tweet conference. #endcuttinggirls

2. Today, our focus is on “Promoting Community-Led engagement to end FGM in Nigeria: Establishing Community Surveillance System #endcuttinggirls

3. Across the world, over 200 million girls and women have undergone at least one of the four forms of female genital mutilation. #endcuttinggirls

4. Of this 200 million, 10% are Nigerians and they are people we have at one time or the other come across in our daily endeavour. #endcuttinggirls

4.This whole number is an enormous number considering the population distribution of Nigeria. #endcuttinggirls

6. FGM otherwise known as female genital cutting or female circumcision is defined as “all procedures that involve the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or any other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons”. #endcuttinggirls

7. In other words Female genital mutilation (FGM) is any procedure that causes injury to the female genitals without medical indication. #endcuttinggirls

8. The World Health Organization (@WHO), classifies FGM into four broad types, and subgroups, based on the anatomical extent of the procedure, and they are all practices in Nigeria: … #endcuttinggirls

9. Type I: partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or the prepuce (Clitoridectomy). #endcuttinggirls

10. Subgroups of Type I FGM are: type Ia, removal of the clitoral hood or prepuce only; type Ib, removal of the clitoris with the prepuce. #endcuttinggirls

11. Type II: partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora (excision). #endcuttinggirls

12. Subgroups of Type II FGM are: type IIa, removal of the labia minora only; type IIb, partial or total removal of the clitoris and labia minora; type IIc, partial or total removal of the clitoris, labia minora and labia majora. #endcuttinggirls

13. Type III: narrowing of the vaginal orifice with creation of a covering seal by cutting and appositioning the labia minora and/or the labia majora, with or without excision of the clitoris (infibulation). #endcuttinggirls

14. Subgroups of Type III FGM are: type IIIa, removal and apposition of the labia minora; type IIIb, removal and apposition of the labia majora. #endcuttinggirls

15. Reinfibulation is covered under this definition. This is a procedure to recreate an infibulation, for example after childbirth when defibulation is necessary. #endcuttinggirls

16. Type IV: unclassified – all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for nonmedical purposes, for example, pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterization. #endcuttinggirls

17. The procedure of FGM is painful and traumatic, and is often performed under unsterile conditions by a traditional practitioner who has little knowledge of female anatomy or how to manage possible adverse events. @WHO

18. Moreover, the removal of or damage to healthy genital tissue interferes with the natural functioning of the body and may cause several immediate and long-term genitourinary health consequences. #endcuttinggirls

19. The practice of FGM – prevalent in 30 countries in Africa and in a few countries in Asia and the Middle East – is now present across the globe due to international migration. #endcuttinggirls

20. The centuries-old practice of FGM is a social norm, buttressed by underlying gender structures &power relations and deeply rooted in tradition. #endcuttinggirls

21. Where it is widely practiced, FGM is supported by both men and women, usually without question, and anyone that does not follow the norm may face condemnation, harassment, and ostracism. #endcuttinggirls

22. Where FGM is a social norm; it is difficult for families to abandon it without support from the wider community. #endcuttinggirls

23. In these communities, it is often practiced even when it is known to inflict harm upon girls because the perceived social benefits of the practice are deemed higher than its disadvantages. #endcuttinggirls

24. For more information on basic facts about FGM visit endcuttinggirls.org or our YouTube Channel for wonderful videos youtube.com/channel/UCyB8f… (Drama, Songs and Documentaries on FGM). #endcuttinggirls

25. Key interventions implemented under the Joint Programme include advocacy, community dialogues, education session, and training of FGM Community Champions (FCCs) to conduct small group discussions, and consensus building meetings. #endcuttinggirls @UNICEF @UNFPA

26. As a result of the above interventions in the 5 focus States (Imo, Ebonyi, Osun, Ekiti and Oyo), several communities, organized Public Declaration of #endcuttinggirls. One of the events took place on 19th June 2017 in the 26 communities in Izzi Clan of Ebony State.

27. The UNFPA-UNICEF JP, describes a public declaration/affirmation as a moment of broad social recognition, which shows that most people in the community support abandonment of FGM, and most likely will abandon the practice. @UNFPA #endcuttinggirls

28.However, experience from the Joint Programme also shows that “a public declaration does not mean that the declaring village is free from FGM; rather it represents a milestone in the process of abandonment because it signals the change in social expectations”. #endcuttinggirls

29. The Joint Programme has suggested that, after a Public Declaration, there needs to be a process of organized diffusion that ensures the decision spreads rapidly from one community to another and is sustained. #endcuttinggirls

30.When the decision to abandon becomes sufficiently diffused, the social dynamics that originally perpetuated the practice can serve to accelerate and sustain its abandonment. #endcuttinggirls @UNICEF @UNFPA

31. This process of social diffusion is typically led by a critical mass of community members such as volunteers, FGM Community Champions (FCCs), Community Based Child Protection Committee (CBCPC), etc. #endcuttinggirls @UNICEF @UNFPA

32. In line with the recommendation of establishing a critical mass to drive the process of social diffusion, UNICEF, established Community Based Child Protection Committee (CBCPC) in Communities that have Publicly denounced FGM. #endcuttinggirls @UNICEF @UNFPA

33. State Partners across the 5 focus states have trained over 300 community volunteers from the Communities that have publicly denounced FGM as members of the CBCPC. #endcuttinggirls

33b ...The members developed action plans for educating community members about FGM, monitoring and tracking all childbirths and traditional marriages to ensure that no girl-child or women is subjected to FGM in their communities. #endcuttinggirls @UNICEF @UNFPA

34. UNICEF State partners have also visited these communities to witness the inauguration of the CBCPCs, orientation of the new members of the CBCPC and addressed their concerns regarding their assignment, and collected the data on the members of the CBCPC. #endcuttinggirls

35. @UNICEF State partners holds monthly review meetings with representatives of the CBCPCs to discuss matters arising from their activities; review & collect their reports, discuss their challenges in the field and propose solutions; and conduct refresher training based on need

36. Communities are also expanding their committee members to include representatives for all the villages in each community. #endcuttimggirls @UNICEF @UNFPA

37. The CBCPC is tracking the births of all female children and speaking to their families to ensure that they are not subjected to FGM. #endcuttinggirls @UNICEF @UNFPA

38. The CBCPC is tracking the traditional marriages to ensure that no person is subjected to FGM as a rite-of-passage to adulthood. #endcuttinggirls @UNICEF @UNFPA

39. The CBCPC confirmed that the sanctions for FGM offenders are still in place, although no one has been caught and charged for FGM. #endcuttinggirls @UNICEF @UNFPA.

40.How can the other communities that have declared Public Declaration of FGM abandonment strengthen their surveillance system for monitoring and reporting FGM cases? #endcuttinggirls

41. Traditional rulers and custodians of custom can constitute “#endcuttinggirls surveillance committee” w/ members from different sectors (teachers, religious leaders, influential persons, ex circumcisers, health educators, or other people deemed relevant by the community)

42.Each community can have a committee of 10-15 members with representatives from each village to ensure effective monitoring and reporting of FGM cases. #endcuttimggirls

43. The committee will provide a platform for coordination, peer support group and surveillance mechanism. It will support follow-up and counseling meetings to dissuade families on the verge of cutting any girl #endcuttimggirls

44. They will document all children born in the community and following up to ensure that the girl-child is not subjected to FGM. This will serve as an indicator to monitor compliance. #endcuttimggirls

45. In some cultures, like Izzi Clan in Ebonyi State, FGM is a component of the Traditional marriage. The surveillance committee will document all marriages to see that FGM is not performed, which will serve as an indicator to monitor compliance. #endcuttinggirls

46. The surveillance committee will use existing platforms in the community such as religious meetings; kindred meetings; youth meeting; etc., to educate community members about FGM and child protection #endcuttimggirls

47. The surveillance committee will conduct end FGM dialogues with different groups in the community, including, community-based groups of men, women, grandmothers, boys, and girls. The dialogue must continue until the new social norm of “#endcuttinggirls” is entrenched.

48. However, if all efforts to dissuade any community member from performing FGM fails, the committee can report such person to face the sanctions placed by the community itself for FGM offenders #endcuttinggirls

49. The surveillance committee will meet on regular basis (weekly or bi-weekly), based on need to harmonize their activities and report to the Traditional Ruler. They will keep records of their activities and minutes of their meetings. #endcuttinggirls

50. Data generated and kept by these community-level end FGM surveillance committee can be made available to government, partners and stakeholders working on elimination of FGM globally for making of better and informed policies #endcuttimggirls

51. Time has come for communities to start owning up the end FGM campaign globally to ensure that the gains made by the UNFPA/UNICEF Joint Programme on FGM Elimination Campaign: Accelerating Change and other stakeholders are sustained. #endcuttimggirls

52. A society with zero incidence rate of FGM is possible. However, an effective community end FGM surveillance system is the key to ensuring the people that have made a public declaration to end FGM do not renage on that promise. #endcuttimggirls

53. At this point, I will stop the conversation so we can reflect on the key points discussed as I entertain any questions. #endcuttimggirls

54. Thanks for being part of the conversations today. Join us every other Thursday 5-7pm. #endcuttimggirls

55. Visit our endcuttinggirls.org for more info and updates on FGM, and kindly follow the handle “@endcuttinggirls” on all social media platforms. #Endcuttinggirls

56. Together we will end FGM in this Generation. #endcuttinggirls