Conclusion
This case report highlights the gradual but significant shifts in community attitudes towards abandoning FGM/C in rural Guinea. Through a combination of non-judgmental awareness-raising campaigns, local entrepreneurship empowerment programmes, and local health interventions, these initiatives have begun to break the long-standing taboos surrounding FGM/C and foster a sense of ownership and agency among community members, particularly women. Importantly, the process has involved extensive community participation, beginning with the surveys and consultations to understand local perspectives, which helped to ensure that interventions were respectful, culturally sensitive, and tailored to the specific needs of each village. This approach has been crucial in gaining trust, encouraging open dialogue, and empowering communities to take collective action against FGM/C. The creation of local groups like the vigilance committees, led by community members themselves, has been key in ensuring that the campaigns are grounded in local realities and driven by the people they aim to serve. The reallocation of resources previously used for FGM/C, such as in Sakorola, illustrates how alternative approaches can be embraced when aligned with local priorities. Furthermore, the establishment of a hotline in Dabadou, and community interventions in response to violations, demonstrate an increasing commitment to protecting girls and women.
While these efforts are promising, the lack of formal evaluation and quantifiable data underscores the need for more comprehensive monitoring and assessment to better understand the long-term impact of these campaigns. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that integrating awareness campaigns with the vigilance committees’ local entrepreneurship and health support can be an effective strategy in motivating communities to reconsider and gradually abandon FGM/C practices. Sustaining these efforts through collaboration with local authorities, respecting cultural contexts, and ensuring strong community participation is essential for success in eliminating FGM/C, especially in rural communities where support for FGM/C is highest and change is usually slower to come.
The authors gratefully acknowledge vzw Aniké, whose support made the Open Access publication of this chapter possible.