Report of the international Conference:

Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation Contents

1. Report of the conference 4

2. Declaration of the Conference 10

Speeches and keynotes 3. of 25 Nov 2009 16

4. List of participants 18

Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation |3 1. Report of the conference

On 25 November 2009 an international conference ‘Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation’ was held in The Hague. It was organised by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was attended by some 130 delegates from Africa and Europe, including representatives of embassies, UN and other international organisations, NGOs, government authorities and regional bodies.

Context

Ms , Dutch State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport, welcomed the participants and put the issue of FGM into context. She said that FGM was a problem that is shared by Africa, the , Europe and the rest of the world. At the International Girl Child Conference, which was held in The Hague on 9 and 10 March 2009, recommendations were formulated, including the need to build bridges between communities in countries of origin and migrant organisations in Europe. Bridge-building may help organisations to develop strategies appropriate to the local context in countries of destination. Ms Bussemaker expressed the hope that during this conference participants would start building those bridges by exchanging knowledge and experience.

The Minister for Development Cooperation, Mr , pointed out that FGM is not an isolated issue. It is important that girls and women acquire the rights and opportunities to develop so that they can build their own futures. When given the chance, girls and women will make a substantial contribution to the development of their countries, more so than men. That is why we need to protect girls from FGM. Only then will girls and women get the opportunities they need to develop. Apart from effective legislation, we need to invest in decent healthcare services, in education and in information on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Ms Francesca Moneti, UNICEF’s Senior Child Protection Specialist, focused on accelerating the abandonment of female genital mutilation/cutting in Europe and Africa by applying a social norms perspective. She said that FGM was treated as violence against women, although it is not intended as such. The practice of FGM is upheld by a social norm that is so powerful that families have their daughters cut even when they are aware of the harm it can cause. Families and individuals maintain the practice because they believe that their group or society expects them to do so. Abandonment of the practice requires a process of social change that results in new expectations of families. It starts with an initial core group of families deciding to abandon the practice and then convincing others to do so. When the group is large enough to ensure retention of social status, also manifested through the marriageability of the girls, abandonment is self- sustainable. People abandoning FGM are not changing their most basic values at the request of outsiders. Rather, in response to credible new information, they are choosing to change their ways so as to fulfil their basic values more coherently and with greater awareness. Abandoning FGM

4 | Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation calls for facilitation of discussions across the networks within communities, a greater ongoing commitment and support for social change.

Interventions

When Ms Berhane Ras-Work (Executive Director, Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices affecting the Health of Women and Children, IAC) spoke about interventions in African countries she showed that change was possible. In order to be positive and sustainable, dialogue at all levels and convictions have to be encouraged. Collaboration between governments and organisations, and exchange of experiences should be nurtured through bridge-building and mutual respect.

Ms Susan McLucas, Secretary General of Sini Sanuman/Healthy Tomorrow, spoke about interventions in . Sini Sanuman’s successful approach includes working with local leaders, publicising their statements, encouraging and publicising group decisions, sharing joy with people and using the media. The approach she presented may inspire European organisations to include, for example, more music, poetry and video when reaching out to at-risk groups.

Ms Zahra Naleie, project leader FGM, Federation of Somali Associations in the Netherlands (FSAN), spoke about interventions in the Netherlands. She pointed to the success of working with and through migrant organisations. ‘Key persons’ (persons from the African communities) and community-based migrant organisations received training, after which they made FGM a subject of discussion in their communities. This strategy was at the core of the intensive approach adopted by the Dutch government in the 2006-2009 period.

Ms Berhane Ras-Work rounded off the morning session with the comment that norms and values have an influence on coping mechanisms. Migrants come to Europe with a set of norms. It is important to connect migrants with developments in their country of origin. Immigrants in European countries who practise FGM have to be informed of the positive changes taking place thanks to campaigns against FGM in their home countries. It has also become evident that FGM-related laws have to be protective and not only punitive.

The way ahead

Ms Bussemaker urged more cooperation between European and African countries. In order to put the topic higher on the agenda of the European Union, a formal conference declaration will focus on this. She also stressed the need to start collecting reliable and comparable prevalence data among communities living in a migration context.

The State Secretary also explained the Dutch approach: preventive and punitive measures, as well as working with and through the migrant groups themselves. The approach, which underpinned a pilot project in six cities from 2006 to 2009, will be adopted nationwide in 2010. Ms Bussemaker has also launched a national campaign with the slogan ‘Say no to FGM’, and has appointed four ambassadors representing Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Sudan to implement it. These ambassadors have lived in the Netherlands for many years. With their expertise on and engagement with the subject and their position in their communities, they are in a position to change opinions on FGM among the immigrant population. What is more, they wish to inform their communities of government policy on stopping FGM and to contact the media to give the

Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation |5 subject exposure. They are therefore participating in national and international conferences and campaigns and wish to build bridges between Africa and Europe by visiting African countries and talking about the Dutch and European approach. The State Secretary believes that the ambassadors can convince their communities, through their own organisations, to say no to FGM.

Ms Bussemaker presented the ‘Declaration against FGM’. This is a document which parents from at-risk countries are invited to sign – there is no obligation – stating that they will not subject their daughters to genital mutilation in another country. The document may help parents resist family pressure when visiting their relatives abroad.

Mr Tjipke Bergsma, Director of the NGO Plan Netherlands, emphasised the need for a broad gender perspective, and a sharper focus on the position of girls (e.g. through Plan Netherlands’ campaign ‘Because I’m a girl’). He said, ‘We believe that girls’ access to education and legal rights can break the cycle of poverty and discrimination that girls face around the world’. He announced the intention of Plan Netherlands, Plan Germany, Plan Mali and Plan Sierra Leone to start a pilot project in which women at grassroots level from Europe and Africa will exchange knowledge about the abandonment of FGM.

Three parallel workshops followed, an extensive report on which can be found in the annexe. In the plenary session, the workshop moderators gave the following suggestions for future action:

Resisting Social Pressure: Preventing FGM across borders • Use a Declaration against Female Circumcision, such as the one recently developed in the Netherlands (based on the Attest du Voyage used in .) • NGOs need to exchange information and knowledge. A network of NGOs has to be built in countries of origin and destination to enable collaboration and the sharing of experiences and interventions. • In the Netherlands: build awareness of FGM in the asylum centres.

Preventing and addressing FGM in the context of migration • The Dutch Ambassador in Mali has promised to put information about FGM on the Embassy’s website. • 6 February is International Zero Tolerance Day. IOM Geneva has serious plans for that day – or actually for 5 February. They want to organise a plenary discussion about the relationship between men and FGM and look at the role of men. They are calling on other organisations to organise their own events and link with Geneva. Solidarity is the main theme. On that day we should fight FGM all over the world. We should mark the day together. • If IOM gets funding they can organise a meeting in 2010 about what works and what does not. The meeting should be about different topics (data collection, information campaigns, prevention, medical and psychosocial care, the legal system etc).

Challenges for Law Enforcement in the Fight against FGM • States should consider defining a form of parental legal responsibility for FGM under their national laws. • States should explore international cooperation in the fight against FGM and overcome legal and practical obstacles. • There has to be a balance between the rights of a child and those of her parents.

6 | Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation Reactions from the panel Leaders of migrant organisations in Europe need to be involved. This can be achieved fairly easily by enabling them to join activities that have already been planned (e.g. within the UNICEF/UNFPA programme) at sub-regional level. Financial support has to be made available. The outcomes call forth both great hope and frustration. Hope because European governments are mobilising resources and knowledge on FGM, frustration because Africa is the hardest nut to crack. Hopefully, European governments can put pressure on African governments to draft clear legislation, organise European-African meetings, exchange information and ideas and try a little friendly persuasion. Children and youngsters need to be involved. A task force should be set up to follow up this conference, i.e. to monitor the actions that came out of it. Zahra can initiate it, because she is an ambassador for stopping FGM in the Netherlands. Money needs to be mobilised in order to continue campaigns to promote the abandonment of FGM. In order to do so, however, you also need data to show that the campaigns are effective.

Dr R. Elise B. Johansen, WHO Technical Officer, gave her opinion on the need for data in migrant countries.

European communities need to know what kind of data are required in order to answer questions such as how and how much must we invest in prevention, punitive measures and care? African communities themselves need data for their own abandonment process.

To summarise, we need data on: • prevalence of FGM among adults and the number of girls at risk among girls who were born in Europe, or who came into Europe at a very young age; • cases of care, birth complications; • where it happens and when. Before the girls/women come to Europe? When they are already living in Europe? And where? in Africa or a European country? • the number of people seeking asylum out of fear that a female child of the family will be subjected to FGM; • how many criminal cases have been brought; • social norms: how are things changing in a European context?

Conclusion: we need specific expert meetings with countries on data collection. Within Europe, data needs to be collected using the same methodology and definitions, regardless of where they are collected. Household surveys need to be conducted in European countries to answer questions on how to overcome ethical and technical difficulties. This will enable comparison between countries; otherwise data will be less useful.

Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation |7 The question rose who should be in charge when it comes to data collection. Ms Ras-Work suggested continuous reflection by a small group, a think tank, from North and South, to come up with concrete proposals on the way forward. This could focus on various topics, such as research, training, communication, lobbying and advocacy, as well as on young people, people from the medical and legal sectors and exchange of experts, with a programme and a timeframe. The group will present recommendations on activities needed.

People in the field need to be connected with governments, and governments need to be connected with other governments, the European Union and the European Council. The next step is: • to make the movement go faster and stronger within and across social networks; • to make the connections; • to facilitate the connections.

Outcomes

The atmosphere at the conference was positive; the discussions and outcomes of the workshops gave food for thought and opened up our perspectives.

The reality from now is one of building bridges, and establishing a functional connection between North and South in efforts to promote the abandonment of FGM.

PLAN pilot At the conference several branches of Plan (including Mali, Sierra Leone, Germany, Egypt and the Netherlands) decided to start a pilot with a view to looking at good practices in e.g. Mali and to exchange these with migrant communities in Europe, and vice versa.

Need for data There is a need for data on FGM in European countries and African communities living in Europe. In order to collect data using the same methodology and same definitions, agreement must be reached on what data are needed and how they should be collected. The conference recommended establishing an expert group on data collection.

Declaration of the Conference The conference showed that, in Europe in particular, each country has its own approach, and that each is reinventing the wheel. Participants concluded that knowledge exchange and cooperation can help tackle this cross-border problem more effectively. On behalf of the participants, the keynote speakers therefore signed a Declaration calling on the European Union to put this problem high on the agenda. The Declaration also urges future holders of the EU presidency, such as Belgium in the second half of 2010, to include female genital mutilation in their programmes and the European Commission to develop a European strategy. On 21 December 2009, Ms Bussemaker visited and presented this Declaration to European Commissioner Ms Neelie Kroes, who for many years has been a prominent activist on the issue of female genital mutilation. Ms Bussemaker asked her to help put this issue on the European agenda. In response, Commissioner Kroes put the matter to her colleague Viviane Reding, who is responsible for European policy on Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship. Now, Commissioner Reding has made FGM one of her top priorities. Let us hope that this will result in a European strategy that includes cooperation with Africa.

8 | Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation

Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation |9 2. Declaration of the Conference

The WHO estimates that between 100 and 140 million women and girls worldwide have been subjected to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). UNICEF estimates that each year three million girls in Africa are at risk of being subjected to the practice. Furthermore, there are estimates that some 500,000 women living in Europe have been subjected to FGM, and every year approximately 180,000 female immigrants in Europe undergo FGM or are in danger of being subjected to the procedure.

To accelerate abandonment of the practice, the participants of the conference ‘Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation’ held in The Hague on 25 November 2009 adopt this declaration, which focuses on European action and cooperation as one of the necessary steps towards eradicating the practice worldwide.

We acknowledge that:

1.1 FGM is a form of violence against girls and women, with harmful physical, social and psychological consequences. FGM is perpetrated without a primary intention of violence but is de facto violent in nature. The practice has no known health benefits. On the contrary, it has a range of serious, irreversible, long-term consequences and health risks, including severe pain, shock, haemorrhage, infections (such as HIV), tetanus and hepatitis. It can also lead to complications during childbirth, danger to the unborn child and mother, infertility and death.

1.2 FGM constitutes a serious violation of human rights, specifically those of girls and women. FGM of any type violates a series of well-established human rights principles, norms and standards, including the principles of equality and non-discrimination on the basis of sex, the right to life (when the procedure results in death), and the right to freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment.

1.3 Due to the effects of FGM on the participation of girls and women, it can impede countries’ development. FGM is a major obstacle to girls’ and women’s full social development. It limits women’s ability to do as much as possible for their family, their active participation in their community, and their contribution to society. It therefore has a negative impact on their country’s development.

10 | Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation 1.4 Migration means that European countries are faced with the consequences of FGM within their borders. For the past 40 years, populations have been migrating from Africa to Europe and FGM has become a growing problem within the European Union. Immigrants to Europe are confronted by a culture where FGM is not practised. They face significant challenges as they try to adjust to a completely different environment and culture, while at the same time trying to preserve essential elements of their own culture

1.5 European cooperation is needed to support national policies. By placing eradication and prevention of FGM high on its agenda, Europe would send a clear message to practising communities in and outside the EU that FGM should be abandoned worldwide. The FGM resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 24 March 2009 is an important symbol of European engagement.

We therefore call on:

2.1 All European countries to do everything possible to promote the abandonment of FGM nationally and internationally by taking action at every level, from prevention based on the promotion of the human rights of girls and women to prosecution as a last resort. National actors in Europe are encouraged to adopt a multidisciplinary approach to FGM and increase cooperation. European countries can take firm action against FGM/C by taking preventive, educational and social measures and by raising awareness. National FGM prevalence studies are necessary to establish whether these measures are effective. If the national studies are harmonised, European countries will be able to compare results.

The practice of FGM should be made illegal in all European countries, thereby making it clear that the practice is not acceptable in the country and that those who perform it risk prosecution. European countries that already have legislation in place can continue to effectively inform immigrant communities about the existence of the law so that it can serve to influence and reinforce families’ decisions not to cut their daughters.

2.2 Future holders of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union (Spain and Belgium, Hungary and Poland, Denmark and Cyprus) to address and, where possible, prioritise FGM in their Presidency programmes. By placing the eradication and prevention of FGM high on the European agenda, the European Union can send a clear message to practising communities worldwide that FGM should be abandoned.

A high-level EU conference in the second part of 2010 would be a good opportunity to evaluate actions initiated as a result of the 2009 conference and to take further necessary steps for the future.

Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation |11 2.3 The European Commission to develop a European strategy on FGM that supports the world-wide movement to abandonment while addressing the practice within immigrant communities. The European strategy could guide and ensure the complementarity of national policies and policies of development cooperation working to support abandonment in countries of prevalence.

European countries have valuable knowledge on FGM that they can share with each other. Identifying and exchanging best practices would be very helpful in preventing and stopping FGM. Countries within Europe are also advised to exchange knowledge with non-European countries, especially African countries with experience of fighting FGM.

On behalf of organisations that participated in the conference ‘Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation’ in The Hague on 25 November 2009:

Francesca Moneti Senior Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF

Berhane Ras-Work IAC Executive Director, Inter-African Committee

Susan McLucas Secretary General, Sini Sanuman Director, Healthy Tomorrow

Zahra Naleie FGM Project Leader, Federation of Somalian Associations in the Netherlands

12 | Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation Annexe: List of participating organisationsList of participating organisations

A ACCM (UK) AFAF African Sky/VON Ahfad University for Women AIDOS Amazonian Initiative Movement (AIM) Ambassador Amnesty International AMPPF

B Berg & Soeters Consulting & Counselling

C Ceelen interactive theatre & training CGRS Child Protection Board Cordaid Court of Appeal, Paris

D Defence for Children International Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet Dutch Embassy Paris Dutch Embassy - Senegal Dutch Embassy - Sudan

E EGLDAM Embassy of France Embassy of Sudan Entishar Charity Society EOS Consult Equilibres & Populations Erasmus MC Euronet-FGM

F Federation of Somali Organisations in the Netherlands (FSAN) FGM-HILFE Forum Educatief Forward – United Kingdom FORWARD – Germany Foundation against female genital mutilation

Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation |13 G GAMS GAMS Belgique GG&GD Utrecht GGD GGD Den Haag Gobez

H Home Office, Violent Crime Unit Iftiin Education and Development Association

I Immigration and Naturalisation Service Institute for the Equality of Women and Men Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practice Interministerial Programme for Youth and Families – the Netherlands International Centre for Reproductive Health International Organisation for Migration (IOM)

K KNOV, Organisation of Midwives

L La Palabre Law and Advocacy for Women in Uganda University

M Migration Policy Department, Ministry of Justice – the Netherlands Ministère de la Santé et de la Prévention – Senegal Ministry of Foreign Affairs – the Netherlands Ministry of Children and Equality - Norway Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport – the Netherlands Ministry of Health – Khartoum State Ministry of Justice – the Netherlands MOVISIE Multicultural Women Peacemakers Network

N National council for child welfare NEEMA NOKC Nuance Consult

O ONG Afrique École

14 | Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation P Pharos Plan International Germany Plan Mali Plan Netherlands Plan West Africa Regional Office Public Prosecution Service, The Hague

R Radio Dalmar Refugee Health Care, the Netherlands Refugee Organisations in the Netherlands (VON) Refugee Organisations, Rijnmond

S Setat Women’s Organisation SIMA Advisory Agency Sini Sanuman (Healthy Tomorrow) Somali Women’s Association Sonppcan Stichting Azza for Sudanese women Stichting Sencerite Stop Mutilation Sudan Federal Ministry of Health / NRHP Swiss Committee for UNICEF

T The REACH Programme TNO Quality of Life Tostan France

U UN Economic Commission for Africa UNFPA UNHCR UNICEF University of Oslo

W Without Limitation Development Association (WLDA) Women`s Health Center FEM Süd World Health Organisation

Y Youth Care Office

Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation |15 3. Speeches and keynotes of 25 nov 2009

The following speeches can be found at www.meisjesbesnijdenis.nl/conference.

Welcome Ms Jet Bussemaker, Dutch State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport

Speech Mr Bert Koenders, Dutch Minister for Development Cooperation

Keynote Accelerating the abandonment of female genital mutilation/cutting in Europe and Africa Ms Francesca Moneti, Senior Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF

Keynote Interventions in African countries Ms Berhane Ras-Work, IAC Executive Director Inter-African Committee

Keynote Interventions in Mali Presentation: Ms Susan McLucas, Secretary General Sini Sanuman, Mali

Keynote Interventions in the Netherlands Ms Zahra Naleie projectleader FGM, Federation Somalian Associations Netherlands

Speech Views and policy Ms Jet Bussemaker, Dutch State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport

Workshop 1 Resisting Social Pressure: Preventing FGM across borders Ms Linda Weil-Curiel, lawyer and director of Commission pour l’Abolition des Mutilations Sexuelles (CAMS), France • Rapporteur Form • Presentation Weil-Curiel

16 | Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation Workshop 2 Preventing and addressing FGM in the context of migration Ms Sylvia Lopez-Ekra Gender Coordinator, International Organization for Migration, Geneva • Rapporteur Form • Infosheet FGM and Migration

Workshop 3 The importance of legislation and law enforcement Prof. Dr. Johannes Nijboer, Professor of Criminal Law , University of Leiden, The Netherlands • Rapporteur Form • Presentation Elisabeth Catta • Presentation Souad • Presentation Nijboer

Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation |17 4. List of participants

First Name Last Name Company Email

Austria Elisabeth Cencig FGM-HILFE [email protected] Umyma Eljelede Women`s Health Center FEM Süd [email protected] Hilde Wolf Women`s Health Center FEM Süd [email protected]

Belgium Valentine Audate CGRS [email protected] Nicolas Belkacemi Institute for the Equality of Women [email protected] and Men Khadidiatou Diallo GAMS Belgique [email protected] Muriel Franck CGRS [email protected] Griet Gregoir CGRS [email protected] Khady Koita La Palabre [email protected] Els Leye International Centre for Reproductive [email protected] Health Christine Loudes Amnesty International [email protected] Carolina Neira Vianello GAMS Belgique [email protected] Frances Nicholson UNHCR [email protected] Katja Svensson Amnesty International [email protected]

Denmark Ambara Hashi Nur Somali Women Association [email protected]

Ethiopia Souad Abdennebi- UN Economic Commission for Africa [email protected] Abderrahim Diariatou D. Kourouma Inter-African Committee on [email protected] Traditional Practices

Finland Batulo Essak Euronet-FGM [email protected]

France Christine Beynis GAMS [email protected] Elisabeth Catta Court of appeal in Paris [email protected] Gabriel Levassor Equilibres & Populations [email protected] Gerk Numan Dutch Embassy, Paris [email protected] Sabine Panet Tostan France [email protected] Linda Weil Curiel GAMS [email protected]

18 | Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation Germany Heidi Besas FORWARD - Germany [email protected] Pierrette Herzberger- FORWARD - Germany [email protected] Fofana Tobe Levin Freifrau FORWARD - Germany [email protected] von Gleichen Anja Stuckert Plan International Germany [email protected]

Guinea Madeleine Tolno AFAF [email protected]

Italy Michela Martini International Organisation for [email protected] Migration (IOM) Carla Mauro Ministry of Health [email protected] Cristiana Scoppa AIDOS [email protected]

Kenya Lilian Plapan Setat Women’s Organisation [email protected]

Mali Madina Daff Épouse Plan Mali bocoum.madina@plan-international. Bocoum org Susan McLucas Sini Sanuman (Healthy Tomorrow) [email protected] Mountaga Touré AMPPF [email protected]

Netherlands Inger Aalhuizen KNOV, Organisation of Midwives [email protected] Olga Abdulkadir Federation of Somali Organisations in [email protected] the Netherlands (FSAN) Shukri Abdulkadir FSAN [email protected] Hassan Dr. Suaad Abdulrehman SIMA advisory agency Taoufik Abou Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport [email protected] Mieke Aitink KNOV, Organisation of Midwives [email protected] Nur Albayrak Ministry of Justice [email protected] Salada Ali Malin Iftiin Education and Development [email protected] Association Hiriti Asghedom FGM expert [email protected] Jet Bastiani Plan Netherlands [email protected] Haimanot Belay Gobez [email protected] Tjipke Bersma Plan Netherlands [email protected] Marthine Bos Refugee Health Care (PGA) [email protected] Goos Cardol Child Care and Protection Board [email protected] Ger Ceelen Ceelen, interactive theatre & training [email protected] Leyla Cinibulak MOVISIE [email protected] Marlies de Jager Pharos [email protected] Ella de Voogd Ministry of Foreign Affairs [email protected]

Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation |19 Frêze de Vries PGA [email protected] Selina de Vries Advice and reporting centre for child [email protected] abuse and neglect Jedidja de Vroome Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport [email protected] Ingrid Degeling Public Prosecution Service, The Hague [email protected] Liesbeth Den Haan IOM [email protected] Annet den Hoed Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport [email protected] Alem Desta Refugee Organisations in the [email protected] Netherlands (VON) Fatoumata Diallo Stichting Sencerite [email protected] Edy Dirksen Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport [email protected] Eva Erren Ministry of Foreign Affairs [email protected] Marja Exterkate Organisation [email protected] Frauke Heldring [email protected] Claire Hostmann Organisation [email protected] Fenneke Hulshoff Pol Cordaid [email protected] Madina Hussein Municipal Health Service (GGD)/ PGA [email protected] East Netherlands Abuelgasim A. Idris Embassy of Sudan [email protected] Jeannette Jansen GGD, The Hague [email protected] Geertje Janssen Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport [email protected] Wouter Karst Forum Educatief [email protected] Sonia Khalil Julio Klaverweide Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport [email protected] Alice Kooij Ministry of Justice [email protected] Martinez Dineke Korfker TNO Quality of Life [email protected] Almaz Massa Organisation, Eritrea [email protected] Hettie Mellink GGD/PGA, South Limburg [email protected] Mr. Mertens Erasmus MC Asad Mohamed Radio Dalmar [email protected] Zahra Naleie FSAN [email protected] Gerda Nienhuis Nuance Consult [email protected] Hans Nijboer [email protected] Marianne Nugteren EOS Consult [email protected] Faduma Osman Multicultural Women Peacemakers [email protected] Network James Owie Ambassador [email protected] Vanessa Penn Child Protection Board [email protected] Ping Robbers PGA [email protected] Renée Römkens INTERVICT/Tilburg University [email protected] Jacqueline Roos Organisation [email protected] Arif Sagal Shamso Said Sonppcan [email protected] Haimanot Salvatore Refugee Organisations, Rijnmond [email protected]

20 | Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation Dederiek Soeters Berg & Soeters Consulting & [email protected] Counselling Frédérique Timmer UNICEF [email protected] Monica van Berkum Pharos [email protected] Adri van den Berg Immigration and Naturalisation [email protected] Service Neyah Van der Aa Leiden University [email protected] Ellen van der Laan Ministry of Foreign Affairs [email protected] Lonneke van Duurling Forum Educatief [email protected] Paula van Velsen GGD Amsterdam [email protected] Agnes Verhulst Foundation against female genital [email protected] mutilation

Norway Rigmor Berg NOKC [email protected] Eva Denison NOKC [email protected] Aud Talle University of Oslo [email protected]

Senegal Ndèye Codou Lakh Ministère de la Santé et de la [email protected] Prévention Cheikh Niang

Sierra Leone Rugiatu Koundouno Amazonian Initiative Movement (AIM) [email protected] Neneh Nee Turay

Sudan Emad Abdeen Entishar Charity Society [email protected] Samira Ahmed UNICEF - North Sudan [email protected] Nafisa Bedri Ahfad University for Women [email protected] Khalid Fadlalla Sudan Federal Ministry of Health / [email protected] NRHP Abeer Hassan Ministry of Health-Khartoum State [email protected] Awatif Mokhtar National council for child welfare [email protected]

Switzerland Elise Johansen World Health Organisation [email protected] Sylvia Lopez-Ekra IOM [email protected] Elsbeth Müller Swiss Committee for UNICEF [email protected] Berhane Ras-Work Inter-African Committee [email protected]

Togo Sambiani Augustin ONG Afrique Ecole [email protected] Yentema

United Kingdom

Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation |21 Hannah Buckley Home Office, Violent Crime Unit [email protected] Sarah McCulloch ACCM (UK) [email protected] Naana Otoo-Oyortey Forward [email protected]

United States Nafissatou J. Diop UNFPA [email protected] Francesca Moneti UNICEF [email protected]

22 | Uniting Europe and Africa to fight Female Genital Mutilation This is a publication of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport

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Publication number DVC-nr. 10094

February 2010