As part of the 16 Days of Action on Violence Against Women campaign, AkiDwA and Doras Luimni invite you to a Female Genitla Mutilation awareness event.

Speaking at the event will be Ifrah Ahmed, a representative of the End FGM European Campaign lead by Amnesty International Ireland.

Also speaking at the event will be Alwiye Xuseyn, the Migrant Women’s Health Coordinator at AkiDwA.

Female Genital Mutilation FAQ

What is FGM?

FGM may include the full of partial removal of the clitoris, labia minora and labia majora. It may also include a narrowing of the vaginal opening and other non-medical procedures harmful to the female genitalia.

Where is FGM practiced?

FGM is most common in the Western, Eastern and North-Eastern regions of Africa. It is also present in some countries in Asia and the Middle East and among certain immigrant communities in North America and Europe.

At what age is FGM normally inflicted?

Between the ages of four and ten.

Why is it practiced?

FGM is practiced for a number of cultural, religious and social factors. However the practice of FGM predates most world religions.

How many women and girls have been subjected to FGM worldwide?

Figures show as many as 140million women and girls.

How many are in Ireland?

A 2010 survey conducted by AkiDwA concluded that  there were more than 3,170 women and girls living in Ireland who have undergone FGM. Most are from Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan, Egypt, Kenya and Sierra Leone.

Venue: Pery’s Hotel, Glentworth Street, Limerick

Date: November 28, 2011

Time: 2.00pm

In August 2010, the European Contact Group implemented a project called Networking Migrant Women in cooperation with the migrant women organizations Maisha from Germany and AkiDwA from Ireland. The first meeting of the Networking Migrant Women project was held in Prague in February 2011, second one was held in Frankfurt in June 2011 and the third meeting is scheduled this week from October 14th 2011 in Dublin.
This project aims to promote meetings between migrants from these three countries, enabling those who are interested to get to know new people, new ideas, new project, and new activities. Migrants can mutually inspire each other, find out what works in other countries and other organizations and what could be used in their own organizations or communities.

Activities during the exchange include

• exchange of migrant integration experiences
• sharing good practices in the field of social services and integration
• Organizing joint workshops and exchange visits – both organizations and individual migrant
• ·         women engaging clients of partner organization To international networking and exchange visits

The benefits of the exchange are:

• New inspirations practical tools for daily work in the field of integration.
• Meeting new and interesting people.
• Establishing cooperation with organizations that have long-term experience.
• Learning practical things during study visits in various European countries.
• Unique feed-back from our experienced partners on our work.
• Support for our further activities.

The Networking Migrant Women project is supported, as a part of the Lifelong Learning Programmes – Grundtvig Programme, by the National Agency for European Educational Programmes.