Listening to African Voices - FPZ

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Table 28: Proportion of women and men from groups and families practicing FGM/C (Cameroon)FGM/C takes place in my ethnic group (%) FGM/C has been taking place in my family (%)Yes No Don’t know Yes No Don’t knowWomen (n = 41) 30.8 66.7 2.6 7.7 87.2 5.1Men (n = 69) 7.2 88.4 4.3 2.9 95.6 1.5Total (n = 110) 15.7 80.6 3.7 4.7 92.5 2.8she did not know whether or not to circumcise her daughterand expressed the same attitude towards the continuation ofthe practice. As the daughter is living in Cameroon and hadnever been to Germany, there was no chance of exploringthe girl’s situation further.5.5.4.4. Perception related to the practiceAlmost 80% of the participants emphasised that FGM/C wasa practice without any advantages. The remaining participantsassociated at least one benefit with the practice. Thereduction of sexual desire and the preservation of virginitywere the most commonly named advantages and named byrespectively 9% of the participants. There were no genderor age differences for the perception of positive outcomes ofFGM/C.5.5.4.5. FGM/C and religionThree Muslims and five Christians believed FGM/C to be requiredby their religion. Only one of these eight participants,however, a Muslim woman, came from a practicing family.Six participants declared they lack information regardingthe position of their religion towards FGM/C. The remainingmajority of 87% saw no connection between FGM/C andtheir faith.5.5.4.6. Perception of disadvantages and knowledge of risksand consequencesWe noted a strong awareness of the risks and effects ofFGM/C among the Cameroonian immigrants: more than86% of the interviewees were able to cite one or severaldisadvantages of the practice. Infections and sexual problemsfor women were particularly well known consequencesof FGM/C and were each named by more than 30% ofthe participants. There were no gender or age differencesfor knowledge of the risks and negative consequences ofFGM/C.5.5.4.7. Knowledge of German law and attitudes towards theabandonment of FMG/CThe greater part of the participants (82%) confirmed thatFGM/C is outlawed in Germany. The remaining participantswere uncertain: 17 men and women said that they were notinformed about the position taken by German law on thissubject, and two participants explained that the law abstainsfrom mentioning the practice. All participants from practicingfamilies were aware that FGM/C is a punishable act inGermany.Most members of the Cameroonian community stronglyadvocated the abandonment of FGM/C: 90% of the menand 95% of the women interviewed consider that FGM/Cshould be abolished. Only one man from a non-practicinggroup and family declared that FGM/C should continue. Fivemen – all but one also from non-practicing groups – saidthat it depended on the context and two women declaredtheir uncertainty vis-à-vis the continuation of the practice.5.5.5. The Gambia5.5.5.1. Socio-demographic profileThe Gambian community with about 450 members is the5th largest community from Sub-Saharan Africa in Hamburg.There are almost three times more men (333) than women(117). We managed to reach 90 participants, 57 men and 33women during the phase of quantitative interviews.The level of professional qualification is rather low amongthe interviewed Gambian immigrants and most of them workin low wage jobs. A large proportion of the Gambian womenare housewives. Almost 60% of the men of Gambian originare married to German spouses.5.5.5.2. Proportion of immigrant population concernedIn The Gambia, most ethnic groups practice FGM/C andthe prevalence rate is almost 80%. The only group with avery low prevalence rate are the Wolof whose girls undergoFGM/C only if a female spouse or female family member isfrom a practicing group and decides to initiate her daughterto the tradition. Among the Serer group, FGM/C is knownto be practiced only moderately, with a prevalence rate of45%. All other larger groups (Diola, Fula, Mandingka etc.)have rates above 80%. FGM/C is practiced in all regionsof The Gambia, but to a lesser extent in the capital Banjul(45%) and in the Kerewan region (61%). The practice is lesscommon among mothers with secondary education (GambiaBureau of Statistics [GBoS] 2007).Listening to African Voices 55
Table 29: Socio-demographic characteristics of immigrants from GambiaSocio-demographicvariableswomen(n = 33)men(n = 57)total sample(n = 90)Age (in years)Mean (standard deviation) 31.7 (4.8) 35.3 (6.6) 33.8 (6.1)Range 22-40 25-54 22-54Average education level (in years)Mean (standard deviation) 8.5 (5.8) 9.4 (6.8) 9.1 (6.4)Range 0-18 0-20 0-20ReligionMuslim 31 (93.9%) 55 (96.5%) 86 (95.6%)Christian 2 (6.1%) 1 (1.8%) 3 (3.3%)Traditional religion 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)None believers 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.8%) 1 (1.1%)Social statusMarried (monogamous) 16 (48.5%) 22 (39.3%) 38 (43.2%)Married (polygamous) 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.8%) 1 (1.1%)Separated/divorced/widowed 9 (28.1%) 25 (44.7%) 34 (38.6%)Never been married 22 7 (21.9%) 8 (14.3%) 15 (17.0%)Migrated from a(n)Urban area 13 (41.9%) 19 (35.2%) 32 (37.6%)Rural area 18 (58.1%) 35 (64.8%) 53 (62.4%)Residence statusUnbefristet (indefinite residence permission) 8 (24.2%) 30 (52.6%) 38 (42.2%)Befristet (temporary residence permission) 3 (9.1%) 4 (7.0%) 7 (7.8%)Duldung (toleration) 0 (0.0%) 1 (1.8%) 1 (1.1%)Others/no papers/does not answer 21 (63.6%) 17 (29.9%) 38 (42.2%)German nationality 1 (3.0%) 5 (8.8%) 6 (6.7%)Time spent in Germany (in months)Mean (standard deviation) 74.0 (40.0) 99.2 (55.4) 89.2 (51.1)Range 36-252 13-360 13-360Among the men and women interviewed, 96% of the participantsbelonged to three ethnic groups where the rates ofFGM/C are known to be very high. By far the most representedgroup in the sample were the Mandinga 28 (90%);there were also a couple of Fula and Diola. Only four mencame from groups with moderate and low FGM/C prevalence:Wolof (3) and Serer (1).In line with the ethnic group composition of the sample,90% of the participants declared that FGM/C has been takingplace in their family. Only six persons said that FGM/Cwas not part of their family traditions, two persons wereuncertain and one person abstained from answering. Theproportions of FGM/C in the family were equally high formen and for women.28 Also referred to as Mandinka, Mandingo, Bambara or Dioula.5.5.5.3. Women and girls concernedOut of the 33 women interviewed, 27 (82%) claimed tohave undergone FGM/C. One woman did not want to answerthe question. In two interviews, the researchers preferredto abstain from asking the question considering that theinterview setting did not allow them to enquire about suchintimate details. Only three women reported not to haveundergone FGM/C.Most of the women had taken part in FGM/C at the age inbetween three to seven years. The procedure was carriedout in The Gambia; only one woman reported that she hadgone through FGM/C in Cote d’Ivoire. All reports conveyedthe idea that the practice was done by traditional practitioners.One key informant interviewed during the qualitativephase described that she even underwent FGM/C two times56Listening to African Voices
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Cover photo: Plan/Alf Berg - “Gir
Page 9 and 10: Within the cohort of daughters of t
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Page 25 and 26: 4.7. FGM/C in Germany4.7.1. Estimat
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Page 77 and 78: that FGM/C had been carried out in
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Page 99 and 100: BEHAVIOR CHANGE MODEL: Abolition of
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Evaluation of girls at riskQ214 CHE
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8.6. Questionnaire for quantitative
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Evaluation of girls at riskQ214 CHE
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8.7. Map of the geographical spread
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8.9. Map of the geographical spread
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