The difficulties of ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Case of Afar pastoralist communities in Ethiopia

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a widespread health risk and violation of the rights of women and girls in many African countries including Ethiopia. The RP focuses on the Afar region where the worst form of FGM is being practiced in Ethiopia. The RP examines how FGM is perpetuated in Afar by looking at the role played by the community- parents, Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), that perform child delivery services and in the process practice FGM, religious and clan leaders. The RP points to the limited scope of the Ethiopian government to put in to practice policies and legislations to prevent FGM due to lack of budget allocation and human resources specific to fighting FGM. The RP points to how NGOs have taken up the struggle to fight FGM but in an incomplete way, largely due to financial constraints to cover the entire region. The RP analysis the current attempt to eradicate FGM showing how the focus is on health issues, rather than on a right based approach to the violation of the rights of women and girls. The RP findings reveal that it is the community- the mothers, fathers and religious leaders as well as the TBAs who play a significant role in the continued practice of FGM. The RP suggests that in order to eradicate FGM it is important to understand how deep the cultural influence is in continuing FGM in the name of sustaining culture and preserving religion despite lack of reference to it in religious scriptures. Dagu, the fast information transmission culture which is unique to the people of Afar, is also suggested to be well recognized in the efforts of fighting FGM.