Wider impact
SOFHA’s research not only shaped its own work but also had a wider influence. For example:
• The Ministry of Employment, Social Affairs and Family has adopted SOFHA’s research as a key reference document.
• National FGM/C indicators were developed through a collaborative process led by CSOs, and incorporated into the national anti-FGM/C strategy.
• The IPPF and other global partners have drawn on SOFHA’s research in shaping their own guidelines and advocacy efforts.
In conclusion
While the statistical findings from 2016–19 do not fully reflect the current situation, they have been crucial in understanding the direction of change and the complexity of the decisions people are making about FGM/C in Somaliland. They confirmed that community members were more informed about FGM/C than was previously assumed, and that almost 90 per cent of them wanted to see change. Most wanted to see the abandonment of only the pharaonic cut, but the message was clear that they, community members, wanted to see change. The findings demonstrated that the situation was dynamic, change was happening, and that decisions were being made, not out of ignorance of the potential harms of FGM/C, but in response to contradictory pressures on groups and individuals leading to decision-making dilemmas.
The benefits of generating local data are clear. When communities affected by issues like FGM/C are engaged in PCBR, the insights are richer, more contextualised, and locally owned. Community-driven data leads to interventions that are more targeted, sensitive to local realities, and responsive to emerging challenges. The impact extends to the community researchers, those mobilising the communities, and the research participants, many of whom reporting this was the first time they had been exposed to others’ opinions on FGM/C.
Care must be taken not to become complacent. Harmful practices like FGM/C respond to social, economic, and environmental factors. The COVID-19 pandemic brought school closures which led to an increase in FGM/C, since girls who were out of school became more vulnerable to cutting. Likewise, instability from climate change, conflict, and economic decline has contributed to a recent resurgence of FGM/C in rural areas. These challenges underscore the need for continuous monitoring to track changes and respond effectively. SOFHA’s journey in developing community-based research on FGM/C in Somaliland has been profound and transformative. Amal Ahmed, CEO of SOFHA, says:
We have started transitioning from relying on external experts to generating our own data, seeing first-hand the power of identifying our knowledge gaps and applying local insights. However, we are still on that path, and need more practice and support before we can fully manage the entire research process independently. One major challenge we face is the limited budgets allocated to our projects. Often, research components are either excluded from funding proposals or, when included, external researchers are hired to conduct the work. This can be addressed by training and mentoring local researchers so that over time, reliance on external consultants decreases. Embedding research capacity within project funding ensures sustainable and reliable data. Ongoing support from donors, partners, and stakeholders is needed, not just in financial resources but also through technical assistance and mentorship.
While the shift toward more community-generated data is clearly beneficial for local stakeholders, there are also tangible benefits for researchers in the Global North. Partnering with local organisations grants access to richer, more nuanced data, adding depth to their work and making their findings more relevant and applicable to real-world situations. PCBR, in this instance, has resulted in both valuable insights into FGM/C in the Horn of Africa and locally owned research findings that have resulted in enhanced evidence-based programming and measurable progress towards the abandonment of FGM/C.