National efforts toward FGM-free villages in Egypt: The evidence of impact

This report is a midterm evaluation and documentation of the process and approach of the FGM-Free Village Model implemented in Egypt by the National Council of Childhood and Motherhood with assistance from the Population Council. In a comparison of responses from women and men in intervention groups to those in nonintervention (control) villages, data analysis shows that the program has been successful in changing views and attitudes toward female genital mutilation (FGM). FGM is an entrenched generational practice, and eradicating it in a community requires concerted effort over an extended period of time. This evaluation strongly recommends that efforts be continued by means of a sustained and protracted process. Advocacy and awareness-raising efforts that take a holistic multisectoral approach constitute best practices that must to be sustained in order to maintain their impact for future generations