1998 GRANTS MAIN INDEX • GRANTS & FINANCES

Female Genital Mutilation

The practice of FGM has profound implications for women’s reproductive health and equity in Africa, as noted by the International Conference on Population and Development’s Cairo Plan of Action. This is the only program area of the Fund not focused on sustainable development. The Fund has, for historical reasons, made limited funds available for the support of highly leveraged initiatives to eradicate the practice of female genital mutilation.

Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) - $125,267 over 18 months

Continued support for Eliminating the Practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Awareness Raising and Community Change in Four Districts of Kenya. PATH and Maendeleo ya Wanawake, a grassroots women’s organization, have worked for the past three years to mobilize communities to reduce/eliminate the practice of FGM. Current efforts will focus on synthesis of the lessons learned, evaluation of the program, and integrating principles of sustainability into the current program by strengthening the capacity of local and national level advocacy groups.

Women’s International Network (WIN) - $30,000

Core support for WIN, an organization which has promoted networking among women’s groups around the world for the past 25 years. WIN has been a leader in the international effort to eradicate the harmful traditional practice of FGM. Their Childbirth Picture Book has been distributed free of charge around the world, to teach women about reproductive health and the physical damage caused by FGM.