AFTER Project Launch
The AFTER Project (Against Female Genital Mutilation / Cutting Through Empowerment and Rejection) was launched on Thursday 26th January, by Joe McHugh TD, Minister for State for Diaspora and International Development.
AFTER Project Report Launch
On the day a review by Salome Mbugua conducted in mid-2016 was shared. This included a national level analysis and regional study of service providers in Cork in relation to FGM/C. Cork was selected for the study and the implementation of the community work. Cork was selected as the second most populous after Dublin, with a large migrant population but limited services available.
Key Findings: According to this study 2,639 girls may currently be at risk of FGM/C (based on CSO 2011 data). This number is expected to rise with the results of the 2016 census. An estimated 3,780 women in Ireland have already experienced FGM/C (AkiDwA, 2013).
AFTER project Objectives:
- To empower women and girls to reject this harmful cultural practice.
- To raise awareness amongst politicians and institutions about the dangers of FGM/C for migrant women and girls.
- To highlight the urgent steps needed to combat the practice and provide support to women who’ve already undergone FGM/C.
The AFTER project is funded by the Rights, Equality and Citizenship (REC) programme of the EU. ActionAid Ireland is implementing the project with colleagues in four other European countries (Belgium, Italy, Spain and Sweden).
The project will apply learnings from our African partners’ work to fight FGM. In Kenya ActionAid has seen a 27% decrease in the practice of FGM since the Irish Aid funded Women’s Rights Programme started in 2012.
Later in 2017, we will welcome colleagues and community members from Kenya and other African countries as part of a ‘Testimony Tour’.
