Toward ending Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) in Africa and beyond: Research Programme.

Descriptions

Research programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C). This research programme is one component within DFID's ‘Towards Ending FGM/C in Africa and Beyond' programme of up to 35 000 000 GBP to support efforts to end FGM/C. The programme has a vision to see an end to the practice in one generation, and aims to reduce the practice by 30 % in at least 10 countries in the first 5 years of this initiative. The research programme aims to produce a global evidence base on the most effective and cost-effective approaches to ending FGM/C in different contexts, to inform future policy and programming. The programme will produce rigorous, operationally relevant research that is accessible to decision-makers influencing strategic investment, policy and programming to end FGM/C, at the national and international level. The programme will work to generate a clear and coherent body of primary evidence focused on 3 research themes:— Building the picture: where, when and why is FGM/C practiced? — Interventions — what's working, where and why?: looking at critical elements, contextual factors, integrated/sequenced programmes, effective programming (including VfM) etc. — Wider impacts of FGM/C and interventions to stop the practice: looking at the positive/negative impacts of interventions on women/girls, men/boys, families, communities etc.— There will also be a cross-cutting theme on measurement. With a combination of basic and operational research, the programme will implement high quality multidisciplinary research (i.e. sociology, anthropology, health/epidemiology, political science, and economics) and include a mix of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Together with the generation of a body of primary evidence on FGM/C, the programme will have strong capacity building and research uptake/communication components:— The programme places strong emphasis on linking northern and southern organisations and/or researchers to implement the research in order to contribute towards strengthening the capacity of southern researchers working in this field. — The programme will have an explicit research uptake strategy to ensure that research findings directly inform decision-makers influencing strategic investment, policy and programming at the national and international level.