Study on social norms related to Female Genital Mutilation and Child Marriage in the 5 intervention areas of the Spotlight Initiative (Kayes, Koulikoro, Sikasso, Ségou and the District of Bamako)

ODI, partnered with Plan International Mali, and funded by UNICEF Mali through the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative presents a literature review, situation analysis report, baseline report, and toolkit, aiming to address some of the core questions relating to how support for child marriage and FGM/C can be reduced.

The literature review collates existing evidence on the drivers explaining the persistence of FGM/C, including the role of social norms, and the behaviour change programmes/approaches to challenge FGM/C and child marriage. The review focuses on children and youth as they transition from childhood to adolescence and into adulthood and focuses on existing studies in Mali as well as global literature.

The Situation Analysis describes trends and factors that lead FGM/C to persist or to be abandoned focusing on six study sites in Mali. The study identifies and explores the attitudes and role of the main stakeholders who decide upon and/or shape attitudes towards the practice, and examines programming strategies and approaches to challenging FGM/C in the study sites.

The Toolkit supports the work of NGO partners and local actors to encourage positive change in the fight against FGM/C and child marriage. It aims to distill understanding of what influences gender norms in relation to FGM/C and child marriage and offers practical evidence-based solutions. The toolkit focuses on what can be done at the community level, drawing on a review of existing tools and their results to address FGM/C and child marriage.

The Baseline Report presents key research findings to quantitatively assess social norms related to FGM/C and child marriage in five intervention zones. The aim of the research is to better understand if and how social norms may be driving the persistence of these harmful practices, and to offer preliminary data points from which potential shifts in norms can be measured.