A Feminist Evaluation of the Joint Programme: Assessing the Cultural Sensitivity of UNICEF and UNFPA's Strategies on Female Genital Cutting/Circumcision in Senegal and Nigeria

Female Genital Cutting/Circumcision (FGC) encompasses procedures involving the partial or total removal of female external genitalia or other genital injuries, performed for non-medical reasons. Typically carried out on young girls, often between infancy and age 15, FGC is widely condemned in global discourse as a harmful and barbaric practice. However, within certain cultures, it is viewed as a rite of passage or a necessary tradition. I argue that to effectively address FGC, organizations must adopt a culturally sensitive approach. This research examines the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) initiatives in Senegal and Nigeria. The research questions I address are, which intervention type do these initiatives fall under: system, service, or community-level? Do these interventions centralize the voices and perspectives of girls and women who have experienced FGC? Are these interventions culturally sensitive? By analyzing current approaches we can gain valuable insights into how to enhance future interventions and adopt more culturally sensitive methods to combat FGC.