Please+help!

[|Therefore:] 1. FGM must be classified as a crime. 2. FGM must be prosecuted.


 * Help by the Governments: **

__Outlawed__: In the West, the procedure of FGM is outlawed in Britain, Canada, France, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. In Germany there is a new law against FGM which is supported by the ministers of justice. The consequence of not following the law is two years of prison.

__UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women__ [|(CEDAW)] Other countries have also stepped up and started laws against FGM. Out of the twenty-eight African countries that practice FGM, twenty-six begin to support the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). This law protects women from violence and imposes punishment when people break the law.

__Prohibited__ On June 24, 2007 the Mufti of Egypt, Ali Gum's announced that: "[...] this custom is [|prohibited]." In 2005 the government in Mali added to the law that “it is the right of all citizens to integrity of person and guarantees the protection of all citizens from inhuman, cruel and degrading treatment, as do other similar international obligations of Mali.”

"Legislation is important," Ms. Maria Gabriela De Vitta, [|UNICEF advise]r on harmful traditional practices, told Africa Recovery. "But the community has to want it. To have a different rite of passage is a good strategy, and so are the literacy programmes for women. But the most important thing is participation." I hope that soon all countries in this world have a law which protects all people from violence and punishes people who harm others. Waris Dirie got the help by the governments after her speech in front of the UN in 1997. She got the role as an UN special ambassador and became representative for the circumcised girls.

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==is a [|UN]-sponsored awareness day that takes place February 6 each year. To find more information from UNICEF click[| here.] ==


 * Help from an Individual **:

As an individual in Brakel I might not have the power the UN has or the power to change laws. But I can do something. I can either donate money, take part in discussion groups, attend a benefit event that donate part of their profit or even have a voluntary social year in Africa.

__Spread knowledge!__ Share this website with friends and family and tell them about FGM

__Music against FGM__ Sister Fa had a [|concert] on November 26, 2009 in Berlin and donated 10 Euro for each ticket sold, specifically to the fight against FGM. The evening featured a photo exhibition and film screening which work against the practice of female genital cutting. The singer Sister Fa is a dedicated activist.

__Walk to fight FGM__ You could also take part in a run or a walk to raise money for the fight against FGM. These races become increasingly more popular. The Brede did theses “sponsored walks” as well. We are intending to get donations for cake which the Brede will donate to Haiti. These donations can be done in the future as well as to do something similar for the fight against FGM.

__Organize Discussion Groups__ For everybody who does not like to run there are also discussion groups which are offered in different cities throughout Germany. The closest one to Brakel is in Hannover. People can come together and talk about issues they are interested in. The Organization [|Terre des femmes] offers those meetings in discussion groups.

__Donate Money__ A very easy and comfortable way is to donate money to the WHO or UNICEF. You can go to their websites at www.unicef.org/support and [|donate money]. These are trusted sites and organizations and the money you donate will be used appropriately.

__Voluntary Social Service__ To become very active yourself you can also become a volunteer and work in Africa to help these women. Two friends of my sisters have done that. One person worked on the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil, to help homeless people and another one worked in a hospital in Senegal. In order to qualify for the “[|Freiwilliges soziales Jahr,]” you have to be between 17-28 years old and be willing to work in hospitals, child care places, or elderly people homes. You can work in International Work camps in Africa, Asia, Latin-America, Israel, Turkey and Europe.

__More ways to help:__ [|Peace Corp] [|Doctors without Borders] [|Wari Dirie Foundation]

As you can see there are many options of what you can do to help to fight against FGM. It does not matter how much money, time or effort you would like to put into the case. The main thing is that everybody should be made aware. Waris Dirie got help from everywhere but mostly from individuals. Her mother just helped her with letting her run away from home which did not save from FGM but it was helpful to live her own life without marrying a stranger. In New York she met a fantastic freaky girl who carried her to the photographer where her big career began. When she met the doctor in the hospital, he helped her by removing her pain and scar and she is able to live a life nearly like a girl who was not circumcised.