International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is a United Nations-sponsored annual awareness day that takes place on February 6 as part of the UN’s efforts to eradicate female genital mutilation. It was first introduced in 2003, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) refers to all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
Somalia community is among the communities in the world that practice FGM/C as norm, culture or beliefs, we know that many Muslim scholars denounced and prohibited this kind of circumcision called FGM as it has no any base or reference in/to our decent religion.
TASS in collaboration with MOEDAFA, MoH & its partners UNICEF and Save the Children International held international FGM awareness day on 6th February 2018 in Bosaso, Gardo and Galkayo with the total participation of 400 people including government officials, civil society groups, community leaders and local journalists who aired the event to the public, around 3,600 local people indirectly received the event messages.
This international campaign was meant to raise awareness of the community on FGM risks and denounced its practices to save the lives and dignity of young girls in Somalia, during the event, it was presented traditional drama, poems and narratives by youth groups to highlight FGM abandonment in manner of Somali literature.
