AFAMBO, Afar Region in Ethiopia – Abiyot Difer, recently assigned as Principal of Fatuma Abdu School in Afambo, is highly impressed with action taken by the school community in its fight against child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM).
In the different school clubs they are members of, students are being informed of the consequences of these two harmful practices and they, in turn, are educating their communities. “Our efforts are paying dividends and much is changing,” Ms. Difer said.
Designated teachers facilitate the discussions in the different clubs at the school. These take place on a fortnightly basis, during break time and in the students’ spare time, and a variety of issues are discussed including child marriage and FGM. The discussions are reinforced by the school’s mini media, which broadcasts messages to the school community during break time.
The school activity is part of an integrated intervention in the fight against child marriage and FGM in the Afambo District. This is being undertaken with UNFPA support through funding secured from the UN Association in Sweden, and is coordinated by the Afambo District Women and Children’s Affairs Office. The programme has been carried out in seven localities in the district for the past two years.
School administrations are part of the coordinated intervention on the prevention of child marriage and FGM in the Afambo District. The other partners include the district administration, religious and clan leaders, and parent-teacher associations. This collaboration also includes influential people at the community level, such as traditional birth attendants, former circumcisers, and Health Extension Workers (community health workers). Law enforcement bodies are also closely involved.
Training was provided at each level on the harm caused by child marriage and FGM, and the course of action to be followed in the fight against these practices.
Teaching is ongoing to ensure that girls continue going to school and are spared from marriage before they are 18 years old.
Students now report to the school administration when they see suspicious activities in their neighbourhood as far as child marriage and FGM are concerned. - Abiyot Difer, headmistress, Fatuma Abdu School
Moreover, religious leaders are teaching that FGM is a condemned practice as it is not condoned either in the Holy Koran or in the Hadith. Some religious leaders who are teaching otherwise are being challenged and even being brought to justice.
“Students now report to the school administration when they see suspicious activities in their neighbourhood as far as child marriage and FGM are concerned,” said Ms. Difer. Any cases would be brought to the attention of the District Women and Children’s Affairs Office and later, to law enforcement bodies.
It is thanks to these efforts that female students are gaining confidence and their school enrollment rate has increased in recent years. In Fatuma Abdu School alone, the percentage of female students exceeds that of male students by around 69 per cent, Ms. Difer said.
The support that is secured through the programme in the form of sanitary pads and school materials is also contributing to the remarkable rate of female students’ enrolment in school. School dropout has been reduced to almost zero for female students, and more and more of them are going on to high school.
“We are very keen about reinforcing our efforts,” Ms. Difer said. She counts on the support of the programme to continue and for more training to be given to the students on fighting child marriage and FGM.
By Abraham Gelaw
