Female Genital Mutilation in Somalia: The Gendered Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic
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2022-08-19
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en
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The pandemic has severely impacted the socioeconomic position of girls and women in Somalia. Social distancing restrictions and limited possibilities for NGOs to raise awareness impacted the prevalence of FGM/C in Somalia during Covid. This research aims to identify key factors impacting this prevalence. The research question “To what extent has COVID-19 influenced the continuation of FGM/C in Somalia?” is answered from a feminist geography perspective. This research was conducted through an extensive desk research about FGM/C in the Somali context, reports on the impact of Covid in practicing African countries and four in-depth interviews with activists and experts. The results displayed that loss of livelihood due to Covid restrictions played a key role. Traditional practitioners went door to door to generate income since girls were at home because schools were closed and NGOs were unable to visit communities for advocacy, while experiencing decreased financial support. It can be concluded that Covid promoted the continuation of FGM/C in Somalia, as it contributed to an overall increase in gender inequality. Measures taken to fight Covid have indirectly impacted the prevalence of FGM/C and funding for NGOs battling FGM/C in Somalia decreased.
Keywords: fgm/c, female genital mutilation, Somalia, gender inequality, covid, NGOs
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen