COIN Fund, Improve FGM Prevention

ENDED
Project goal
Strengthen community-level awareness-raising and information-sharing initiatives on FGM prevention.
Project duration
Start:
2022-10-01
End:
2023-05-31
Project location
Gode Town, Somali Region, Ethiopia
Target beneficiaries
2,400 individuals
Reached beneficiaries
3,276 individuals (Women: 2,734 (83%), Men: 542 (17%))
Donors
  •  German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through GIZ
Partners
  • Somali Regional Bureau of Women and Children Affairs
  • Gode City Council Office of Women and Children Affairs
  • Local community stakeholders
Achievements
  1. Capacity-Building:
    • Trained 10 community volunteers (5 women) on FGM prevention, selected for their experience, commitment, and community acceptance.
    • CAAP staff participated in GIZ's training on project management, proposal writing, coordination, and M&E, resulting in a revised, impact-oriented project proposal.
  2. IEC/BCC Materials Development and Distribution:
    • Developed and distributed 80 context-specific IEC/BCC materials on FGM/C to key stakeholders, including community volunteers, Gode City Women Affairs Office staff, and Kebele officials.
    • These materials were crucial during community conversations and house-to-house awareness sessions advocating for zero tolerance to FGM/C.
  3. Community Conversations:
    • Facilitated sessions covering the impacts of FGM, its religious and legal perspectives, storytelling by survivors, and collaborative action planning to abandon FGM.
    • Engaged 2,724 women and 552 men, achieving significant attitude changes and a collective commitment to eliminate FGM.
  4. Public Drama Show:
    • Organized a community-level drama show performed by 10 members of the local traditional music band.
    • The event was attended by 250 participants, including 194 women and 15 government officials, discussing FGM's negative effects, religious misconceptions, and legal frameworks.
    • Concluded with a collective declaration by participants to abandon FGM practices.
Impact

The COIN Fund FGM Prevention Project demonstrated a significant positive shift in attitudes toward FGM elimination, leveraging evidence-based strategies and cultural sensitivities. The project empowered community members, strengthened local networks, and promoted sustainable change. The project surpassed its target, reaching 3,276 beneficiaries (83% women) against an initial goal of 2,400 individuals, achieving 137%. This overachievement was due to the proactive involvement of the Gode City Administration, which expanded sessions to non-project intervention Kebeles, increasing reach and impact.

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