NGORONGORO DISTRICT TO END FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION
Every one is in the forefront of the fight to end female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage in the Ngorongoro District of Tanzania. Loliondo FM, one of the radio stations benefiting from UNESCO’s “Empowering Local Radio with ICTs” project, supported by Sweden, is proving to be indispensable in raising awareness for the issue and educating girls on the action to take in avoiding FGM – especially when there seems to be no way out.
Girls have reportedly avoided FGM and forced marriage by making contact with Suzan a community based worker.
“Radio is often the only way to reach many of the communities where FGM and forced marriage continue to prevail,” said Mirta Lourenço, Chief of Media Development at UNESCO. “Radio campaigns can reach the women and girls at risk. It can change the perceptions of women and men and inform women on their basic human rights.”
In the past, Suzan has provided girls with shelter and coordinated with EMBUWAN, an NGO dealing with education, health and income-generating activities, to offer long-term support.
“The NGO has been able to identify donors to support the girls. There, they can then receive vocational training,” reported Suzan at an anti-FGM meeting on 12 th July,2018. Local radio proved essential in distributing the proper information among the at-risk girls of the region and in linking girls to the people able to help.
Thanks to UNESCO’s “Empowering Local Radio with ICTs” project. Training increases the ability to effectively cover these stories, such as this one on FGM. By connecting the programs to pressing issues, radio stations are more capable of addressing the primary concerns of the community to bring about positive action.
Girls have reportedly avoided FGM and forced marriage by making contact with Suzan a community based worker.
“Radio is often the only way to reach many of the communities where FGM and forced marriage continue to prevail,” said Mirta Lourenço, Chief of Media Development at UNESCO. “Radio campaigns can reach the women and girls at risk. It can change the perceptions of women and men and inform women on their basic human rights.”
In the past, Suzan has provided girls with shelter and coordinated with EMBUWAN, an NGO dealing with education, health and income-generating activities, to offer long-term support.
“The NGO has been able to identify donors to support the girls. There, they can then receive vocational training,” reported Suzan at an anti-FGM meeting on 12 th July,2018. Local radio proved essential in distributing the proper information among the at-risk girls of the region and in linking girls to the people able to help.
Thanks to UNESCO’s “Empowering Local Radio with ICTs” project. Training increases the ability to effectively cover these stories, such as this one on FGM. By connecting the programs to pressing issues, radio stations are more capable of addressing the primary concerns of the community to bring about positive action.