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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Soheir Stolba, PhD, The Pacific Institute for Women's Health, 4750 Siesta Lane, Fair Oaks, CA 95628, (916) 966-2991, sstolba@aol.com
The paper will deal with the key findings of a clinical-based study conducted in the Republic of Yemen on the prevalence of the practice of female genital mutilation in four coastal governorates. This KAP study utilized both qualitative and quantative techniques of data gathering. A random sample of 2,163 women was interviewed and some of them provided data for case studies to be written. In addition, 622 men were asked about their views on FGM. After a nationwide conference was held and the research findings were discussed, the Ministry of Health responded to the plight of girls and women. This pioneering study led to the Ministry of Health issuing a law that forbids licensed practitioners from performing FGM.
The study was followed by community awareness campaigns. Four non-governmental organizations used effective strategies to educate parents and pregnant women about the harmful health effects of FGM on girls’ and women’s health. The paper will shed lights on the lessons learned from this applied study and discuss the health policy implications for decision-makers as well as the general public.
The participants will be able to:
1. Learn about the key findings of the Yemen FGM study.
2. Appreciate the implications of this applied study in generating health policies.
3. Examine various successful strategies used by Yemen NGOs in creating awareness about the negative health effects of FGM.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Female Genital Mutilation, Women's Health
Related Web page: pitaconsultants.com
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.