Collaborative work with Somaliland stakeholders to increase evidence based decision making in FGM/C

The Population Council collaborated with partners Orchid Project and Somaliland Family Health Association to pilot a new approach to disseminating research findings in order to increase the impact of evidence-based decisionmaking in program, policy, and investments in female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). This brief reports on a recent workshop that utilized an open space approach to encourage review of recent key evidence on FGM/C in Somaliland; explore UNICEF’s six elements of abandonment and their relevance to the Somaliland context; link research with decisionmaking; and develop action plans. Participants identified six key themes for further reflection: behavioral/social change, medicalization, policy, child rights, further research, and the role of NGOs and community-based organizations. After the discussions on the last day of the workshop, participants developed draft action plans to link the research to their current work on policy and programming for FGM/C