COMMUNIQUE ON ENDING FGM IN SOMALIA FROM FGM WORKSHOP IN GAROWE, 10 – 14 December, 2017

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15 December 2017, Garowe: Participants from the public and private Media in Somalia together with members form the religious leaders have convened in Garowe for a 4 day training on Ending FGM MEDIA TRAINING ACADEMY from 10-14 December, 2017.

The training workshop has been co-organised by Ifrah Foundation in association with Global Media Campaign, UNICEF, Save the Children and The Puntland Ministry of Women Development and Family Affairs.

Puntland 1st lady Dr Hodan Isse, an ambassador on FGM, has appealed to participants to ensure they get fully involved in raising the awareness to end FMG in Somalia and called on all Somalis to work together in achieving zero tolerence for FGM in Somalia.

The topics covered during the training workshop facilitated by the trainer Abdirahman Koronto were as follows:

1.	To be aware that Somalia has the highest prevalence on FGM in the whole world which is 98% of Somali women being cut with over 90% going through the extreme form of FGM.

2.	How best the Somali media could redouble their efforts in raising the awareness for Ending FGM in Somalia.

3.	Preparing the 2018 Media Strategic Communication Work Plan on their efforts to end FGM.

4.	Implementing a national strategy for Ending FGM in the country.

5.	Strengthening the relationship and cooperation among Somali media on End FGM campaign.

6.	Somali doctors explained the extend of the damage FGM caused to the girls both the extreme form and lighter forms and called for zero tolerance on FGM.

After long discussion, the participants agreed on the following:

1.	The participanted thanked the 1st lady of Puntland for her encouragement and endless efforts on ending FGM, Ifrah Foundation, Global Media Campaign, UNICEF, Save the Children, the Puntland Ministry of Women Development and Family Affairs and Dr Abdisamad Ahmed.

2.	The participants, agreed to be united on this cause and together speak with one voice which is zero tolerance for FGM.

3.	The participants agreed to send one message through the media to raise the awareness.

4.	The participants prepared 2018 work plan on raising the awareness on ending FGM.

5.	The participants, agreed to implement this strategic FGM work plan.

6.	The participants, called on the establishment of state and federal level committees on ending FGM.

7.	The participants, made promise to work together in the implementation of the campaigns and work plans that come out of the workshop in Garowe.

8.	The participants unanimously condemned all activities involving harming Somali children including all forms of FGM and called on Somali society to end this heinous activity which the doctors confirmed has no benefits at all except harming immediate and long time effects on Somali girls and women.

9.	The Participants, call on the Federal Government of Somalia and Federal Member States to have national polices that call the public to end FGM and implement them in 2018.

10.	The participants, concurred to convene a national conference on ending FGM in Somalia on 15 May, 2018 which will bring together all stakeholders and Somali leaders to make a national call to end FGM in Somalia.