Feel It: Together We Start the End”
By: Haffiya A. Elyas
The issue of female genital mutilation FGM is not just a traditional practice; it is an issue that affects human dignity and the rights of the girl child to a healthy and safe life. This practice has serious health and psychological effects that may accompany a girl throughout her life, which requires all of us to stand together to end it.
The activities of the learning workshop for the partners of the “Sudan Free from Female Genital Mutilation” (SFFGM2) concluded sessions at the Marina Hotel in Port Sudan. The workshop, organized by the National Council for Child Welfare, comes under the inspiring theme: “Together Toward the End: Learning for a Sudan Free of Female Genital Mutilation .
Today, we are facing a great responsibility that requires us to work hard to change the societal misconceptions that have contributed to the continuation of this phenomenon. The role of community awareness, media, and religious leaders is crucial in correcting perceptions and confirming that FGM has no religious basis; rather, it is a harmful habit that must be abandoned.
Religious and community leaders have a great responsibility to correct perceptions and emphasize that FGM has no religious basis, which contributes to changing convictions within society. The media also plays an influential role in spreading awareness messages, highlighting the dangers of this practice , and supporting positive initiatives that seek to eradicate it.
We cannot overlook the role of health workers in providing direct awareness to families and refusing to conduct this practice, in addition to providing health and psychological care to the affected women.
Distinguished Attendees,
The role of youth and women remains essential in leading change within society, spreading awareness among peers, and contributing to building a conscious generation that rejects this harmful practice.
This workshop is very important because it discusses one of the most serious issues affecting the health and dignity of girls in our society.
Over the past few days, we have followed rich discussions and scientific and practical presentations, all of which confirmed that FGM is not just a habit but a clear violation of the rights of the girl child and has very serious health, psychological, and social effects.
What distinguishes this workshop is the spirit of cooperation and integration between the various partners, which reflects a growing awareness of the need for collective action to end this phenomenon.
Achieving our goal of a Sudan Free of Female Genital Mutilation requires continued coordination and cooperation among all partners and teamwork until we reach a society that preserves the dignity of its daughters and safeguards their rights.
The success of these efforts depends on teamwork and coordination among all partners because the elimination of FGM is not the responsibility of one entity but the responsibility of an entire community.