Weekly Market (Lumo) Women Vendors’ Awareness and Understanding of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Fgm/C: (Case Study: Bureng and Brikama Ba Weekly Markets)

Abstract

The fundamental objectives of this study were to investigate into the weekly market (locally call “lumoo”) elderly women and young women vendors’ level knowledge of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), its causes, negative impacts, preventive methods; and services needed by survivors. The study was a descriptive survey and purposive random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. The survey concentrated on six core areas: level of knowledge of FGM/C, Level of understanding of FGM/C, Level of knowledge of the causes of FGM/C, Level of knowledge of the negative impacts of FGM/C, Level of knowledge of the support services needed by survivors of FGM/C; and Level of knowledge of the preventive methods of FGM/C. Because of limited resources, the study took approximately one year and five months. Structured questionnaires were used to collect the data from participants. The data was presented and analyzed using tables and percentage. The results indicate high level of awareness of FGM/C among the sample population. It practices though negatively affects all survivors, participants are deeply divided on stopping it. Regardless of government being principal protectors of all children, participants feel everyone is needed both in supporting survivors, perpetrators and the fight against it for subsequent eradication.