Interventions against female genital mutilation

The project assesses the impacts of an intervention to reduce female genital mutilation (FGM), the practice of cutting or removing girls’ genitalia for non-medical reasons, and child marriage. The intervention aims to change norms, attitudes and behavior through a range of activities including awareness raising, community mobilization, training, capacity building of institutions, and support at the policy/government level.   

The policy question is whether such a comprehensive approach to reducing FGM and child marriage affects parents’ intentions to cut their daughters/marry them early, and whether it affects FGM and child marriage incidence.

We measure effects on norms, attitudes, and beliefs about others’ attitudes and intentions to cut and marry their daughters. We also measure the effects on the incidence of FGM as well as on the age at marriage. We follow the implementation process and provide regular feedbacks to implementers with qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis during the implementation phase.