FGM is often seen as a “woman’s issue” and therefore men rarely interfere and so their views on the practice are often unclear. Reasons for the practice of FGM can include increasing men’s sexual pleasure, controlling women’s sexuality, maintaining virginity and ensuring marriageability of girls. As FGM concerns all members of the community, men can, should and MUST, play a key role in ending the practice. Men’s involvement is crucial to accelerate the abandonment of the practice in Europe, and by extension increasingly so in the countries of origin.
“Women have been championing this cause for decades with little or no support from men in the community, I am honoured to join FORWARD and to say that ‘It’s My Issue Too’ and should be that of all fathers, husbands, brother and, uncles in communities where FGM continues” –Solomon Amare Zewolde, FORWARD Project Researcher for MEN SPEAK OUT
