With "drums and trumpets" for an end to female genital mutilation in West Africa

Radio, Internet, social media, TV & Co. - Now is the right time, because the population is already prepared thanks to TARGET's long-standing presence. The TARGET awareness campaign for an end to female genital mutilation in Guinea-Bissau is being expanded to include a new segment: topic-specific public relations work via national broadcasters.

In addition to our direct educational visits to the villages, the aim is to raise awareness of the issue among the general public. Anyone who has heard about the ban on female genital mutilation in Islam on the radio, on television or via the Internet starts to rethink and ask questions: With our teams, with the imam at the mosque, in health centers, at home with the family or at school. Questioning, rethinking, is an important step towards protecting girls. The more people are aware of TARGET's Golden Book and the message it contains from Islamic scholars to outlaw genital mutilation of girls and women, the faster we will reach our goal: no more genital mutilation in Guinea-Bissau.

In order to find out which channels we can best use to reach the people of the West African country and what their level of knowledge is on the subject of female genital mutilation, our local team conducted a survey of the general population in June: Do you know what "Fanadu di Mindjer" (Female Genital Mutilation) is? Why did we conduct the Fanadu? Do you use social media? Do you listen to the radio? Do you have a cell phone with internet access? Do you watch television? For 14 days, over 60 surveys per day - with 1,200 completed questionnaires from 4 regions of Guinea-Bissau in our luggage, we are now starting the evaluation.

Vânia Dias, public relations officer at TARGET Guinea-Bissau, conducts the interview

Our awareness-raising team continues to travel to the communities and remote villages of Guinea-Bissau to talk directly to the local people. From January to June 2022, our two TARGET education teams have already visited 139 tabankas (villages) in the regions of Gabu, Bafatá and Oio, 4,369 people have been educated on the topic of female genital mutilation. Our multipliers are also doing everything they can to end the practice of female genital mutilation. They are active with their own events, in coordination with our team. They come from the respective community and have an internal insight and personal access to the people. This year, 68 multipliers have already been supported by our team (January to June 2022).

TARGET's Golden Book and illustrative brochures in use in the Gabu region