Sudan: An in-depth analysis of the social dynamics of abandonment of FGM/C

Samira Ahmed, S. Al Hebshi and B. V. Nylund

Innocenti Working Papers

Abstract: Special Series on Social Norms and Harmful Practices This paper examines the experience of Sudan by analysing the factors that promote and support the abandonment of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and other harmful social practices. FGM/C is still widely practiced in all regions of northern Sudan but today actors are mobilizing across the country to end the practice. This paper analyses programmes that support ending FGM/C in Sudan and highlights the key factors that promote collective abandonment of the practice, including the roles of community dialogue, human rights deliberation, community-led activities, and the powerful force of local rewards and punishment. The Sudan experience demonstrates that social norms can change when a new understanding and appreciation of communities’ traditions and values is introduced. At policy level, the paper describes the adoption of laws and policies that prohibit or criminalize all forms of FGM/C and the introduction of integrated communication campaigns that have mobilized multiple actors to adopt and voice a consistent and clear stance against FGM/C.

Keywords: child protection; early marriage; female excision; female genital mutilation; gender issues; social norms (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J79 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 37
Date: 2009
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-law
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ucf:inwopa:inwopa09/58

Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from
https://www.unicef-i ... onment-of-fgm-c.html
The price is All UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti publications can be downloaded from our website free of charge. Printed copies of some titles can also be ordered from the United Nations Publications website https://shop.un.org/search/unicef/node/29892.

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Innocenti Working Papers
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Patrizia Faustini (ity-florence_communications@unicef.org).