Assessment Summary
Global population health is everyone’s concern, and nursing leadership has a role in increasing knowledge and supporting the use of available resources to the fullest. Members of the nursing profession have a responsibility to advocate for others in need of care. This can be accomplished in many ways.
Membership in professional organizations such as the Association of Nurse Practitioners (ANP), the American Nurses Association (ANA), or the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) provides an opportunity for networking, as well as advocacy. In these interactions, you can share knowledge and learn about other populations and how to influence policy with a focus on disease management and health prevention and promotion. Opportunities to develop strategies for improvement within a strong political group will provide strength for change.
Learning about the needs of countries that have been devastated by natural disasters and further compromised by disease prompts one to take action. In many cases, preexisting barriers must be addressed before resources can even be effective. Focusing on your previously identified country, plan strategies that you feel would address the key issues by priority. Perhaps use the resources available or plan for future changes to alleviate and modify these issues.
In this assessment, you have a choice between Exercise A or B. Please read each one carefully before making your choice.
Exercise A. You are requested to attend a meeting of one of the professional organizations within your community. Each organization usually has chapters that should be active within designated regions. At this meeting, present your developed strategies and allow time to answer questions and provide additional information as feedback by the group. If action items are being considered, a committee may be formed and further work groups developed. A summary of this meeting needs to be written up and future plans discussed.
Exercise B. Contact the office of your state senator or Congressional representative and schedule an appointment. These politicians have local offices within your voting district where you should be able to visit with them. At your meeting, the agenda should include your concerns about global population health and progress that is being made through policy decisions. To prepare yourself for this meeting, review what Congress has been working on to improve the health of global populations. As a nurse leader, be prepared to discuss how to influence change through the strategies you have prepared.& A summary of this meeting needs to be written up and future plans discussed. Remember, as nurses, we are involved in lobby days, during which groups of nurses go to the capitol and demonstrate advocacy as change agents. Nurses can affect the future.
Assessment Instructions
Complete this assessment only after you have had your meeting or presentation based on whether you chose Exercise A or B above.
After selecting your exercise, make sure you have prepared your strategic plan, policy proposal, and any presentation with speaking notes you will need for your meeting of choice. You should leverage the work you have done in the previous assessments related to your chosen global health issue. The research, interviews, data collection, writing, and project proposal or educational resource that you have already completed should help to inform and support your preparation for your presentation or meeting. Remember, the goal of your meeting or presentation is to advocate for specific actions to help improve the current and future outcomes of your chosen global health issue.
You will make a presentation (power point with speaker notes and video presentation) in which you discuss, present, and reflect on your experiences related to your topic, the meeting or presentation, and any outcomes achieved.
One possible way to organize your video is as follows:
Introduction and Background (5 slides with speaker notes)
Provide a brief overview of which option you chose, why you chose that option, and some details about your preparations for your presentation or meeting.
Explain the rationale and preparation to present strategies and potential policies related to a global health issue to a relevant audience.
Which option did you choose?
Why did you pursue this option?
How did you work to ensure that your strategies or policies were culturally sensitive?
What research about your audience did you perform?
What were your goals for the presentation or meeting?
What is the issue?
Why is your plan or policy an appropriate approach to drive improved outcomes?
Explain how investment in sustainable resources and policy development align with the mission or goals of a nongovernmental organization or government program.
How will working on your chosen issue benefit the audience?
How does your proposal align with the mission or goals of the audience?
In this final section, reflect on your experience of presenting or leading a meeting related to your chosen global health issue and summarize any takeaways or outcomes that you have from the presentation or meeting.
What were your most important takeaways from the experiences?
Communicate orally in a way that engages the audience while maintaining an appropriate tone.
Additional Requirements
If you reference specific research findings or sources in your presentation, make sure that you submit an APA-style reference list for those sources.
APA style and format reference list: Submit, along with the presentation, a separate reference page that follows APA style and formatting guidelines.
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Nongovernmental Agencies Involved in Global Issues
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Nongovernmental Agencies Involved in Global Issues
Female genital mutilation [FGM] is a significant health issue linked with cultural norms
whose impacts are dire. The health complication of FGM ranges from bacterial infection to
psychological problems and obstetric complications. Further, the impacts on the quality of life
[QoL] also affect women and young girls across the lifespan. In response to these health issues,
the desert flower foundation [DFF] is a not-for-profit [NGO] that core mission is to end FGM
and increase awareness. Thus, this analysis seeks to explore the differences between the public
health NGOs and public programs and engage in an in-depth analysis of the DFF. Data will be
accrued from peer review articles and interviews with key personnel working at the NGOs. The
analysis will be complete with personal assumptions about public health organizations and
NGOs.
Public Health NGOs from Governmental Public Health Organizations
NGOs and government agencies play an important role in the public health domain but
differ in three ways. First, the structure and the governance of the NGO differ from those of
public health organizations. NGOs operate independently from the government sector
(Piotrowicz & Cianciara, 2013). Unlike NGOs, public health agencies are attached to the
government and have several roles, including but not limited to research, awareness, and training
to address public health issues. Secondly, public health organizations operate at different levels
ranging from the local and state to the federal level, which differs from the level of operation of
NGOs (Gebbie et al., 2010). Lastly, NGOs and public health agencies’ main functions and
funding models differ. NGOs are designed to provide health services and engage in advocacy,
while public health organizations are designed to train and improve public health. Thus, based on
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the core task, NGOs are funded through grants, donations, and partnerships with other
organizations, while the government primarily funds public health agencies.
Desert Flower Foundation [DDF]
History of the Organization
DFF is an NGO focused on addressing female genital mutilation [FGM] that operates
globally and does not have a physical location. The DFF was founded in 2001 and was directly
attached to supermodel Waris Dirie, a Somali-born native, author, and human rights activist. The
foundation’s core mission is to end FGM and support the overall well-being and health of women
across the globe. Based on personal experience and scars attributed to FGM, DFF’s core mission
is to end the practice of FGM, support survivors and advocate for the need of women. Further,
the organization also provides medical support, counseling, and opportunities for empowerment
among the at-risk population. The NGO operates in different parts of the world, and its core
operation is focused on Africa and Islamic nations. Currently, the NGO works in collaboration
with other organizations and enhance awareness of the need to combat FGM.
Financial Health
DFF’s funding model is diverse, and the organization’s financial status is healthy per the
current financial reports. The organization’s financial status analysis focused on the annual
financial report from 2015-2021. The financial reports as of 2015 revealed that the organization
generated revenues to a sum of EUR 281.735,54 in 2015, 630.361.30 in 2019, and EUR
521.041,82 in 2020 and later EUR 667.600,49 in 2021 see Table 1 with a considerable portion of
this funds accrued from a donation. Besides, based on the budgetary allocation, a vast portion of
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these funds have been diverted to the service of statuary-determined purposes, mainly
sponsorship and project awareness, administrative costs, and fundraising costs. Table 1
Table 1 Money raised and distributed from 2015-2021
2015
2020
2019
2021
281.735,54
521.041,82 630.358,48 667.600,49
Source of funds
Donations
Public subsidies and grants
223.273,26
1.550,19
Use of Funds
Services of statuary determined
246.080,78
484.646,89 538.417,46 601.285,82
Administrative expenses
9.844,95
59.086,06
44.450,03
30.682,42
Fundraising cost
3.210,63
74.555,30
62.115,88
88.035,36
Other expenses
15.445,61
purposes (Sponsorships and project
awareness)
Source: Desert Flower Foundation (2023)
Selection of Stakeholders
Stakeholders and members interested in joining the organization are not restricted or
excluded by stringent criteria. In my online interview with Mary (pseudonym), one of the DFF
project coordinators in Africa, she stated, “My passion for advocacy was the only criteria
required to join DFF.” She added that “DFF has four categories: campaign, education initiative,
save a little Desert flower, and the desert flower center. Thus, based on my professional
background in social work, I preferred joining the organization and engaging in a campaign to
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create awareness”. Thus, members’ passion and dedication to eradicating FGM is the only
requirement. At the same time, the criterion for other stakeholders, such as healthcare
organizations and other private entities, was not availed during the interview. However, based on
the information from one of the stakeholders, joining DFF is open to all people with a passion for
advocacy and respect for human rights.
Advantages Public Health NGOs
NGOs have an added advantage over government-led agencies. In the context of health
promotion, NGOs have broad access and freedom of innovation to address health issues.
Besides, NGOs are flexible in adapting to the local situation and thus able to develop integrated
and sectoral projects (The Global Development Research Center, n.d.). In addition, NGOs can
recruit diverse professionals without the government’s restrictions. In an interview by Mary, she
opined that “while working in Africa, we develop the “DDF education box” as a unique tailored
made solution to address illiteracy in Africa.” Based on this approach, NGOs have free
innovation and the ability to take risks while developing solutions. This key feature of NGOs
places them at a higher advantage when compared to the public health agencies that are also
limited to a given jurisdiction.
Comparison of NGOs to Government-Sponsored Programs
Donation, funding, and assistance-seeking differ from NGOs when compared to
government-sponsored programs. NGOs wholly depend on donations as the primary funding
model to sustain critical operations (Piotrowicz & Cianciara, 2013). Assistance seeking is also
open to the at-risk population with tailored solutions to meet the specific context and population
needs. In contrast, government-sponsored programs are funded by the government through
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budgetary allocation and have restrictions on eligibility. Thus, in terms of sustainability,
government-sponsored programs are more sustainable due to the funding model and the
governance structure.
Challenges Public Health NGOs
NGOs face three main challenges due to the funding model and the structure of this
organization. Concerning funding, NGOs depend on donations, which creates an unstable
financial base when compared to government agencies. The funding model also translates into
limited resources, which inhibits the ability to implement long-term intervention at a more
extensive scope (The Global Development Research Center, n.d.). Lastly, NGOs operate
independently, which creates coordination problems, fragmentation, and duplication of services.
Meanwhile, government-sponsored programs are equally faced with problems including but not
limited to bureaucracy and limited freedom to innovate and take risks.
Criteria for Getting Involved in Health Issues
NGOs often consider several criteria based on data analysis before engaging in a
particular health issue. Some factors considered include the magnitude of the health problems,
the importance of public health, and the feasibility of the potential intervention. In the context of
DFF, FGM is a significant health issue impacting the quality of life (Klein et al., 2018). In
addition, existing data shows that for every 11 seconds, a girl in the world undergoes FGM, and
most suffer from both psychological and physical states (Desert Flower Foundation, 2023). This
data is sufficient and support the magnitude and the impacts of FGM on health. Thus, an FDD
criterion is based on sufficient data that warrants the response to improve health outcomes. The
organization has an email website I would use to contact in the event of need.
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Assumptions about Public Health Organizations and Delivery
The research and interviewing experiences affected my assumption about NGOs and
service delivery. Some of the factors that aligned with my expectation included the view that
NGOs are focused on population health, advocacy, and emphasis on collaboration to address the
presenting health problems. However, what was more surprising about NGOs is that despite the
resource limitation, NGOs have the ability to take risks and develop novel solutions to address
specific health needs. The research experience positively affected me. My understanding of the
role of NGOs was enhanced, and so was my attitude toward the NGOs.
Conclusion
The Desert Flower Foundation is an NGO that strives to improve women’s reproductive
health through advocacy to end FGM. The NGO offers a suitable reference point concerning the
difference between NGOs and government programs. Some key features include the risk-taking
approach, hands on approach to problem-solving, and dependency on donation as a funding
model. In contrast, government-led programs have a stable financial base, restrictive eligibility
criteria, and limited scope. Despite the existing differences, collaboration between NGOs and
government-led programs would yield positive outcomes in the context of public health.
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References
Desert Flower Foundation . (2023). About DFF – Desert Flower Foundation.
Www.desertflowerfoundation.org. https://www.desertflowerfoundation.org/en/aboutdff.html
Gebbie, K., Rosenstock, L., & Hernandez, L. M. (2010). Public Health Agencies: Their Roles in
Educating Public Health Professionals. Nih.gov; National Academies Press (US).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221185/
Klein, E., Helzner, E., Shayowitz, M., Kohlhoff, S., & Smith-Norowitz, T. A. (2018). Female
Genital Mutilation: Health Consequences and Complications—A Short Literature
Review. Obstetrics and Gynecology International, 2018(7365715), 1–7.
https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7365715
Piotrowicz, M., & Cianciara, D. (2013). The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in the
Social and the Health System. Przeglad Epidemiologiczny.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23745379/
The Global Development Research Center. (n.d.). NGOs: Advantages and disadvantages.
https://www.gdrc.org/ngo/advan-disadvan.html
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Female Genital Mutilation Problem Description
Marcos J Carvajal Bermejo
School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Capella University
NURS-FPX8014 Global Population Health
Dr. Jo Ann Runewicz
August 11th, 2023
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Female Genital Mutilation Problem Description
Sexual and reproductive health is of value across the developmental lifespan. A healthy
sexual and reproductive life requires gender equality, respect, safety, and liberation from
discrimination, violence, and stigma. However, the violation of reproductive health rights,
especially among women, is an issue of concern with significant social, economic, and health
implications. In part, some of the health issues at the global level with impacts on reproductive
health include cultural and traditional practices that focus on female genital mutilation [FGM].
Hence, the central focus of this analysis will be on the health burden associated with FGM, with
a keen interest in the impacts of the social determinant of health, the population affected, and a
review of literature on past strategies to address the health issues and gaps in historically used
strategies.
Description of the Problem
FGM is a pervasive and cultural rite of passage that significantly affects health and
overall well-being. FGM is defined as the procedure that involves the partial or the total removal
of the external female genitalia or the damage of the female organ for non-medical reasons
(Dawson et al., 2019). FGM is classified into four categories, namely the “clitoridectomy,”
“excision,” “infibulations,” and the generalized unclassified genital injuries category (Nabaneh
& Muula, 2019). FGM is not only a human rights issue but also a health issue that affects women
and girls exposed to significant psychological and physical well-being. Further, the FGM-related
impacts are limited to not only health outcomes but also economic outcomes. Thus, addressing
the burden associated with FGM requires holistic intervention that addresses the social
determinant of health and cultural factors that play a central in the manifestation of the
traditional ritual.
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Effects on Individuals, Communities, and Populations
FGM is a significant health issue affecting the affected population’s Quality of Life
[QoL]. In part, at the individual level, the sexual QoL of women subjected to FGM is lower
when compared to the general population. The underlying low Sexual QoL is attributed to the
psychosexual impacts associated with FGM that result in post-traumatic disorder [PTSD],
anxiety, and low self-esteem due to genital mutilation (Buggio et al., 2019). FGM also affects the
communities in general due to the harm caused to women and girls and drains the economy of
valuable resources, with the total cost required to treat the impacts of FGM approximated at $1.4
billion per year (World health organization, 2022). Thus, communities that practice or engage in
the FGM act tend to incur additional economic losses and burdens. Further, FGM also affects the
women and girl population; the low QoL and the associated mental illness also affect the overall
being of women and girls, who are mainly the at-risk population. Hence, FGM is a health issue
that affects the QoL for the affected groups, and the impacts are not limited to respective
individuals but also the communities undertaking the cultural practice.
FGM is a pervasive global problem, with the actual scope of the problem remaining
unknown due to the cultural aspects and the stigma associated with FGM. However, existing data
show that over 200 million girls have undergone FGM in over 31 countries, with representative
data on the FGM prevalence (UNICEF, 2023). The scope of the problem varies across nations,
with some showing high rates of FGM compared to others. Vos et al. (2020) mentioned that the
global prevalence of FGM among girls and women revealed that over 100 million girls and
women were affected, which slightly differs from the UNICEF projection of over 200 million.
The underlying cause for the difference in the reported prevalence rate is attributed to the
difference in the household representative data. Overall, the pooled prevalence of FGM in
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women aged 15-49 year is 38.3% and 7.25% among girls aged 0-14 years, while those within the
age of 0-14 is reported due to the risk at the time of surveys (Vos et al., 2020). Currently, nations
adversely affected by the practice include Colombia, India, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and African
nations. The countries disproportionately affected are those in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
In Africa alone, more than 3 million girls were subjected to FGM, translating to 1 in every ten
girls. In contrast, in some nations, such as Ethiopia, over 23.8 million girls have been impacted
by the problem (Gudeta et al., 2022). Thus, the estimate across national practices and the impact
of FGM differs, but high rates are reported in developing nations. Besides, inequities related to
socioeconomic factors also come into play and explain the underlying variation in the reported
FGM prevalence across nations.
Socioeconomic, Political, and Cultural Influences
Socioeconomic Systems
The populations that are affected mainly by FGM are women and girls. These groups are
vulnerable to socioeconomic influences and more likely to be less empowered when compared to
the general population. Studies have consistently shown that the socioeconomic trends in Africa
are the main drivers of FGM. In one such study, Batyra et al. (2020) used data from the
demographic and health survey and multiple indicators as the survey approach involving 23
African nations. The study duration ranged from 2002 to 2016, while the sample population
included over 293 170 women and sought to examine whether the socioeconomic difference in
FGM was converging or diverging. The study finding revealed that FGM and socioeconomic
factors converged, with the trend showing that women in urban areas and more education had
low prevalence rates. In line with these findings, a report by the Orchid Project (2021) revealed
that FGM and access to education intersected in two ways. In part, FGM contributed to the high
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school dropout rate, but at the same time, access to education was a protective factor against
FGM. Thus, these studies support the link between socioeconomic factors and FGM. Women
with limited access to education and low-income groups, mostly in rural areas, were more prone
to FGM practices than those in urban areas with access to education.
Political Influence
The political systems also influence the perpetuation of FGM. In essence, formulating
laws and policies is a political process that requires input from the decision-makers. Thus, policy
changes only occur when the respective government accepts the existence of a problem and
implements policies to prevent and mitigate the impacts of FGM. For instance, ending FGM in
Sothern east Asia has been hindered due to the lack of acknowledgment by the government that
the problem exists (Equity Now, 2023). In this case, the national government fails to take and
implement proactive action to address the problem. In addition, the political influence is
manifested in the legislation enacted to address the problem; in some African nations, legal
legislation has been implemented to prohibit the acts (UNFPA, n.d.). For instance, political
advocacy in Kenya and Egypt has been cited as an approach to address the GFM impacts, but the
efficacy could be better. Hence, political factors also come into play when determining
approaches and strategies to mitigate the impacts of FGM and the strategies to prevent such
practices. In the presence of acknowledgment that FGM is a health problem, governments are
more likely to initiate political action through policy interventions. On the other hand, failure by
the government to accept the existence of the problem acts as a barrier to addressing the practice
and the subsequent impacts on women’s and girls’ health.
Cultural Influence
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FGM is considered a human rights violation in most nations; the act is considered a
cultural rite of passage. Thus, the high prevalence of FGM and the variation in prevalence rates
are influenced by cultural belief systems. FGM practice is rooted in socio-cultural tradition that
varies across regions and ethnic groups. Some cultural motivations include the need to be
socially accepted, safeguard virginity before marriage and increase the marriage potential
(Buggio et al., 2019). In addition, some countries consider FGM a rite of passage and transition
from childhood to adulthood. In studies by Gudeta et al. (2022), religion as a cultural factor also
played a role. Notably, women who are Muslim protestant were less likely to practice GFM by
81% when compared to their counterparts, and so are those in rural areas and undertaking
farming.
Similarly, in Asia, FGM is commonly practiced by Muslim groups and immigrants and
has a cultural meaning, such as promoting cleanliness, reducing female sexual desire, and
maintaining purity (Dawson et al., 2019). Thus, cultural factors are often at play in the
justification for the act and the acceptance among the affected population. In part, even though
religious teachings do not support some justifications, culture has a strong influence.
Strategies and Gaps to Address FGM
Historical Strategies
Several strategies have been documented across the literature to address FGM.
Historically, criminal law has been mainly used to address FGM in the at-risk population. The
campaign against FGM dates back to the 1920s with the inclination towards the perception that
FGM was a human rights violation and not a human rite of passage, especially among girls and
women. Thus, consensus after the resolution’s passage resulted in the adoption criminalization
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policies at the national and international levels (Berer, 2015). In this criminalization approach,
the prosecution and the arrest of people engage in FGM and thus deter the behaviors. Advocates
supporting the legislative approach argue that policies that prohibit and criminalize FGM provide
a supportive environment for the local initiative, offer protection to the affected groups and
discourage the acts due to the fear of prosecution (UNFPA, n.d.).
Further, legislative approaches have also been considered as a means to help the health
worker engage in abandonment programs and reinforce women’s rights to body integrity. Thus,
the criminalization approach aligns with the right advocacy approach to ending FGM and is
driven by the action of the feminist in the Beijing Declaration and the platform for action [POA]
(Nabaneh & Muula, 2019). Thus, criminalization and advocacy-based approaches have been
used to change behaviors and provide an additional opportunity for creating awareness of
women’s reproductive rights. The criminalization efforts have been adopted primarily in African
nations, Europe, and France, while the developed nations have yet to implement legislation
criminalizing the act.
Harm reduction strategies have also been adopted to address FGM and improve health
outcomes for the affected population. The harm reduction approach is based on the scientific
linkage between FGM and the subsequent blood loss and the risk of HIV infection (Nabaneh &
Muula, 2019). In the harm reduction approach, attention is placed on providing communities
with evidence-based information about the risk of FGM and thus appeals to the moral conscience
of the public (Malmström,2011). This approach has also triggered the inclination towards
adopting the medication approach, considered “safer” in some Egyptian nations. The health
approach has been marked with success, as depicted by adopting the Fatwas in some Islamic
nations against FGM/C practices and has received immense attention in some African nations
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(Malmström, 2011). Hence, the health approach has been linked to changes in behaviors and the
adoption of the medication approach, which is much safer and lowers the risk of infection. In
addition, the health approach also affects the morality of the parties involved in the act.
Education and the alternative approach to rite have also been throughout history to
address FGM by mitigating the impacts of cultural and socioeconomic factors. Education has
been linked with a low rate of FGM in that educated women and girls are less vulnerable to the
forces of FGM risk factors (OrchidProject, 2021). The underlying justification for education has
been based on the premise that education increases awareness among both victims, helping
change behaviors and promoting inclination towards other behavior (Nabaneh & Muula, 2019).
Also, the education intervention has been to create mock ceremonies that mimic the rite of
passage, change attitudes and behavior about body purity, and other ceremonies that show
respect to the respective culture without necessarily exposing the women and girls to FGM
(Nabaneh & Muula, 2019). The education approach not only changes the behavior and promotes
alternative strategies for rite initiation but also aims to empower women and girls to understand
fundamental human rights and sexual and reproductive rights. Hence, the intersection of
education intervention, empowerment, and alternative strategies all intersect to mitigate the
cultural and socioeconomic variable that exposes women and girls to FGM.
Gaps
Despite the existing strategies to mitigate and prevent the effects of FGM, the strategies
have several gaps. In particular, the socio, political, economic, and environmental variables
influence FGM as a health issue. Studies show that social determinants of health, including but
not limited to education and poverty, while the environmental variable, such as the location in
urban and rural areas, are all risk factors for FGM (Dawson et al., 2019; Gudeta et al., 2022;
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Nabaneh & Muula, 2019). Thus, historical intervention fails to address one of the variables
above; for instance, concerning the criminalization of FGM, Berber (2015) states that
criminalization influences FGM in the sense that it prevents the treatment of girls and women,
drives the practice underground and the result in increased imprisonment of women who mostly
take part in the FGM activities. The criminalization approach also results in underreporting FGM
due to the fear of engaging in illegal acts. In addition, Nabaneh and Muula (2019) argued that
implementing the FGM law tends to alienate communities that perceive such laws as a violation
of the community norms and culture. Besides, the lack of accountability and a solid national law
enforcement mechanism due to infective government coordination bodies and weak human right
institution means translates into policies that fail at addressing the cultural, political, and socialeconomic risk factors.
Apart from the gaps in the criminalization intervention, some of the interventions, such as
the health approach, also fails to address the political, social, economic, and environmental
variable. Instead, the health approach creates additional problems for the FGM victims; Nabaneh
and Muula (2019) mentioned that the safe health approach forces a parent to see alternative and
safe interventions to engage in FGM rather than overcoming the behaviors. Hence, the
medication for FGM creates an additional problem for women and girls vulnerable to FGM
(Dawson et al., 2019). In this case, the health approach also alienates the local community, which
is central to the occurrence of cultural practices. Even though the health approach discourages
the traditional approach to FGM linked with poor health outcomes, the approach fails to address
the social determinant of health that impacts FGM. Thus, a common consensus across existing
literature is the lack of a community-driven and oriented strategy that holistically addresses the
social determinant of health.
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Conclusion
Female genital mutilation is a health issue that affects women and girls across the globe.
Most of the affected populations are primarily found in Africa, the Middle East, and the Asian
regions. Further, in developed nations, the movement of immigrant women has also seen a rise in
cultural practice. FGM affects individuals in several ways, from a decline in sexual quality of life
to poor mental and physical health outcomes. In part, the trauma during the FGM action affects
the self-esteem among women and children and contributes to difficulties in the later stages of
life. Communally, FGM increases the burden of care due to the cost associated with treating the
impacts of FGM and the loss of human resources.
Meanwhile, women and girls are the main population at risk. In addition, these
populations are impacted by the social determinant of health, including but not limited to access
to education, the environment, and income level. In this case, women in rural areas, with less
access to education and from low-income groups, are at risk of FGM compared to other
populations within the same category. Based on the impacts on health, several interventions have
been proposed in the past, including but not limited to the criminalization of FGM, education,
and empowerment, and the provision of alternative rites of passage. However, gaps in these
strategies have been attributed to the failure to address the social, political, and cultural factors.
Besides, existing intervention fails to adopt a holistic approach throughout literature. Thus, to
effectively address FGM as a health issue, there is a need to build coalitions with religious and
traditional leaders, the inclusion of men and boys in changing the social norms and adopt a
holistic approach to care delivery to address the needs of women and girls who have undergone
FGM.
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References
Batyra, E., Coast, E., Wilson, B., & Cetorelli, V. (2020). The socioeconomic dynamics of trends
in female genital mutilation/cutting across Africa. BMJ Global Health, 5(10), e003088.
https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2020-003088
Berer, M. (2015). The history and role of the criminal law in anti-FGM campaigns: Is the
criminal law what is needed, at least in countries like Great Britain? Reproductive Health
Matters, 23(46), 145–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rhm.2015.10.001
Buggio, L., Facchin, F., Chiappa, L., Barbara, G., Brambilla, M., & Vercellini, P. (2019).
Psychosexual Consequences of Female Genital Mutilation and the Impact of
Reconstructive Surgery: A Narrative Review. Health Equity, 3(1), 36–46.
https://doi.org/10.1089/heq.2018.0036
Dawson, A., Rashid, A., Shuib, R., Wickramage, K., Budiharsana, M., Hidayana, I. M., &
Marranci, G. (2019). Addressing female genital mutilation in the Asia Pacific: the
neglected sustainable development target. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public
Health, 44(1), 8–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12956
Equity Now. (2023). Ending FGM in South and South East Asia. Equality Now.
Gudeta, T. A., Regassa, T. M., & Gamtessa, L. C. (2022). Female genital mutilation: prevalence,
associated factors and health consequences among reproductive age group women in
Keffa Zone, Southwest, Ethiopia. Reproductive Health, 19(1).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-022-01364-3
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Appendix 1: Proposal
Project Proposal: Addressing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Through Community Awareness
and Empowerment
Objectives
•
Increase awareness about the impacts of FGM
•
Address cultural norms that perpetuate FGM
•
Collaborate with community religious and cultural groups to address FGM
Target Population and Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)
•
Women and Girls
•
Boys and Men
•
SDOH- Cultural norms, access to education and legal protection
Project Approach
•
Community-oriented focus group
•
Youth engagement in rural areas
•
Holistic support services
Stakeholders
•
Religious and traditional leaders
•
Healthcare providers
•
Government agencies
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Evaluation
•
Pre- and post-intervention to assess changes in attitude, behaviors, and perception toward
FGM
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