Dear Daughter Impact Assesment
Ifrah Foundation undertook an assessment of the impact of its Dear Daughter Campaign from its launch in September 2021 to end December 2022. Almost 60% of respondents reported a marked decrease in the belief that FGM is required, with the majority of those exposed to the campaign reporting they do longer intend practicing FGM.
Community Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices FGM
Impact assessment of Dear Daughter Campaign on FGM Prevalence
Published January 2023
Ifrah Foundation and the Dear Daughter Campaign (DDC) received exclusively positive feedback and community members noted that Ifrah was the only Foundation they had been exposed to whose mission was entirely devoted to the end of FGM. The impact of the DDC was noted as the most influential factor in changing public perceptions of FGM, and participants suggested an expansion of the campaign into rural areas, where FGM is more widely practiced.
There is a general perception that the practice is controlled by mothers, aunties and grandmothers who take young girls, often in secret, to either a traditional circumciser or, increasingly, to health providers. But men are complicit.
The research made specific recommendations for the Dear Daughter Campaign going forward:
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Provide resources for women and girls to openly discuss their experiences, trauma, and questions regarding FGM
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Expand outreach by focusing on rural areas and making use of internet messaging platforms
- Incorporate religious leaders who speak out against FGM
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Encourage FGM decision-making to be a joint parental effort
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Continue to bring anti-FGM campaigns into a mixed audience and encourage public discussion of the subject
