Loading ...What is the FGM Project?
Birmingham & Solihull Women’s Aid has obtained funding to set up the FGM Project to support women and girls who have experienced, or who are at risk of experiencing, FGM – female genital mutilation. We will work to raise awareness of the practice and provide support to women as a means of addressing FGM.
To find out more about what FGM is, please see the FGM page in the Violence Against Women section.
The FGM Project Worker will:
- Raise awareness about FGM and its consequences
- Work with community organisations and women’s groups to address the practice of FGM
- Empower individuals to reject the practice of FGM
- Provide support to women who have experienced FGM
What can the FGM Project do for me?
The FGM Community Development Worker can provide one-to-one emotional and practical support to women from FGM practising communities on FGM. She can also refer you to the wider services that Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid provides.
The Community Development Worker can also refer you to a women’s group dealing with FGM where you will be able to socialise with other women from similar situations and learn about FGM and its consequences and where to access FGM specialised clinics, GPs and midwives. Women’s groups and individual sessions can help you become:
- Aware of FGM and its consequences
- Empowered to reject the practice of FGM
- Aware that it is illegal to practice/ perform FGM in UK
- Aware of the health risks of FGM
- Able to know where to access health care if you have problems caused by FGM
- Able to influence others to reject FGM practice
How do I access the FGM Project?
If you are from an FGM practising country and you want individual support or you want to join an FGM women’s group call the Community Development Worker at BSWA on 0121 685 8687 extension 456 or 07891 838 979 for appointment. She will be able to give you emotional and social support in confidence.
The FGM Project has worked with Options UK to explore how FGM affects women in Birmingham, involving women from practising communities to help with the research. The research report can be downloaded here: