Wednesday October 6, 2021
MOGADISHU (HOL) - The quest to end female genital mutilation (FGM) in Somalia got a boost this week with the launch of a new campaign in Mogadishu.
Iftin Foundation, with the support of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), launched the Gacalo Gabadheyayay, loosely translated to the Dear Daughter Campaign, to 'break the cycle' of female genital mutilation.
Iftin Foundation founder Ifrah Ahmed said the campaign's launch marked a significant milestone in her efforts to eradicate FGM in Somalia.
"It has taken me years to implement the 'GACALO GABADHEYAYAY' campaign in Somalia. Today, I am happy that this campaign is carried out at the federalism level," she said in an interview with BBC.
She said Somalia could eradicate FGM if the public is well-informed, and religious scholars agree that the FGM is a tradition imported in Somalia from elsewhere.
"If every Somali mother agrees with us that her daughter should be saved from the ordeal the mothers passed through, we are 100% sure that the girl who will be born will not go through that ordeal," she said.
Research indicates that about 98% of Somali have undergone FGM. The event was officiated by Women and Human Rights Minister Hanifa Habsade.