THE C

HALLENGES O

F

DEVELOPI

NG A

TRANSNAT

IONAL P

ROTOCOL

FOR R

ESEARCHING F

GM IN

THE U

K, INDIA

AND S

UDAN

TAMSIN

BRADLE

Y

FOUR AREAS OF CHALLENGE.

1. Working with Activists.2. Interviewing Vulnerable

People.3. The Ethics of Representation

or Misrepresentation.4. Possible conflation between

the global security agenda and the End FGM movement.

BACKGROUND TO FGM: WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION DEFINITION

Type 1: Involves the removal of the prepuce with or without excision of all or part of the clitoris.

Type 2. Excision of the clitoris with partial or total excision of the labia minora (FGM types I and II constitute 80% of FGM performed world-wide).

Type 3. Excision of part or all of the external genitalia (the clitoris, labia minora and labia majora) with stitching/narrowing of the vaginal opening (infibulation).

Type 4. Unclassified includes pricking, piercing, incising of the clitoris and/or labia, cauterisation by burning of the clitoris and surrounding tissue, scraping of tissue surrounding the vaginal orifice or cutting into the vagina introduction of corrosive substances into the vagina to cause bleeding or for the purpose of tightening or narrowing it.

 

THE BIG PUSH TO END FGM

February 6th 2014 ‘International zero Tolerance of FGM’ day.

DFID have pledged 35 Million into eradicating FGM and Child-marriage over the next 5 years.

Sudan has been identified as the model case for intervention.

GLOBAL PREVALENCE• The WHO estimates that between 100 -140

million girls and women have been subjected to FGM and that each year a further 2 million girls are at risk.

• Most of these girls live in 28 African countries, a few in the Middle-east and Asia and among immigrant communities in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada

• Prevalence in Sudan is 86%• UK approximately 137,000• India approximately 1.4 million Bora

Muslims.

PREVALENCE IN SUDAN

According to the 1990 Sudan Demographic and Health Survey, 89% of ever married women in the northern, eastern and western provinces had undergone either Type I or II (15%) or type III (85%).

The first Sudan National Household Survey (SNHS) conducted in 2006 among women of reproductive age (15-49) recorded a prevalence average of 69% in the 15 Northern States varying between 40% in West Darfur and 84% in River Nile.

The 2010 Sudan National Household Survey recorded a national prevalence of any type of FGM at 66% with internal differences varying between 84% prevalence in Northern States and 46% in West Darfur.

UK largest funder £36 Million.

Three Programmes:• The Girls

Generation Social Movement.

• Free Sudan from FGM/C Model Intervention

• FGM/C Research Programme

Sudan

DFID’S IPs are;

UNICEF

UNFPA

WHO

UNJP; Saleema.

THE GLOBAL CAMPAIGN

A push for prosecutions is the driving force of the UK movement, less so internationally.

FGM has been illegal in the UK for 28 years.

Community groups anxious about top-down interventionist approach.

Want to be given space and support to challenge mindsets on their own terms.

As a research-activist my role is to generate data to support efforts to end and to advise on ways of approaching this goal.

1. MANAGING THE RELATIONSHIP WITH ACTIVISTS

VOICES FROM THE GRASS-ROOTS

‘ “Despite the presence of organisations and individuals from all over the world, there was very little visibility for diaspora and community organisations or individuals. They are the ones who have fought hard to get these issues on the agenda, when large NGOs and the British government were still silent. These are the individuals who've faced rejection from their communities or have described losing their jobs in order to focus on the cause. They have been portrayed mostly as victims and not survivors and agents of change.” (Naana Otoo-Oyortey Wednesday 30th July 2014 The Guardian).

In India; more diverse approaches to activism from legal through to grass-roots Gandhi inspired movements.

Tensions between them.

Reluctance to acknowledge that FGM is a problem.

In Sudan, given the political context, most focus is on education at a grass-roots & generating change though social movements, rather than lobbying politicians and law enforcers.

INDIA AND SUDAN

Lots of Questions and Few Answers

• How do we research this topic?

• What kind of methodologies?

• What ethical processes should we follow?

• Differences between the national and international field-sites - double standards?

• Should we even be doing this kind of sensitive research?

• What support do the researchers need?

2. ETHICAL CHALLENGES WITH DATA COLLECTION

Researcher Risk Our Response to Mitigate and Adapt

The researchers could introduce tension into family and communities that could render their participants vulnerable to forms of harassment  .  Could also lead to increased violence in the home.

Appropriate gate keeping protocols will be in place. Time will need to be spent preparing the ground for the research, open and transparent details on the research objectives and goals must be shared and permissions sought at the level including that of the individual, family and community

Researcher Risk Our Response to Mitigate and Adapt

The sensitive nature of the research means that the interviews may unintentionally trigger trauma and upset.

A safety/support network will need to be developed ahead of the fieldwork. The researchers will need to be able to offer support to participants in this event. This support will need to be on-going so the identification of NGOs and CBOs working in the area that could follow up on any such cases will need to be part of the ethics protocol. We will be able to offer referral on the spot. All participants will be given a referral card and this will be specifically designed to avoid suspicion by partners.

Researcher Risk Our Response to Mitigate and Adapt

Given the sensitive nature of the topic the researchers themselves may be placed in physical harm

The safety of the researchers during fieldwork will need to be carefully thought through. Researchers will work together so that they can ensure detailed documentation of every encounter, participatory sessions and interviews. If they feel concerned for their safety at any point they must leave the site and go to a safe place identified prior to the fieldwork phase. The place must be sufficiently away from the field site. The researchers must be tracked daily and warnings triggered if concerns over their safety emerge. A plan of action in this event must be in place before the fieldwork starts.

Researcher Risk Our Response to Mitigate and Adapt

The researchers may suffer psychological distress as a result of listening to traumatic experiences of violence.

All researchers will be required to debrief with the supervisors on a daily basis and the lead supervisor will oversee this process. If significant concerns are raised then additional counselling support will be sought. We will follow the guidelines from SVRI

THE THORNY ISSUE OF DISCLOSURE

• High quality qualitative research is open ended and designed to encourage participants to share their experiences and views without fear of recourse.

• In a highly legalistic activist environment this becomes problematic.

• What should the researcher do if a disclosure is made?

• Should it be approached differently across countries depending on the activist/government line? Or should we maintain a singular ethical stance?

“When it comes to discussion surrounding FGM its not about women of colour having autonomy over their own bodies but rather creating a space where white women can find self- actualisation through women of colours struggles.”

Chandra Mohanty’s critique of white, MC liberal feminism as culturally essentialist resonates.

The FGM feminist discourse has shaped public opinion through the construction of a ‘victim’ that in turn emerges from the sexualisation of the black female body.

 3. THE ETHICS OF REPRESENTATION OR MISREPRESENTATIONS.

The Construction of a Victim

"My step-mum took me and my sister to see a woman who performed the operation. She didn't tell me or my sister anything about what was going to happen. My sister and I never discussed it since. I can't tell you the exact place it happened, but I know if you bring me there I will know it. There was one person to hold your legs, another to hold your arms and another to do the cutting. I have a memory of the pain, the blood, my sister shouting and my own shouting because it was so painful. It is like a bad dream but it is in my memory for life.” (The Independent 9th March 2014)

“I have been on this campaign for many years to try and redirect peoples’ attention away from the imagery of FGM thatpeople are being caught up in, especially these past few years due to the international communities pouring millions of pounds on anti-FGM campaigns. The discourse is extremely racist, reductionist andcondescending - for most part the discourse is dominated by white feminist but sadly more and more black women are voicing the samedialogue which is very disheartening.”

The eradication of FGM along with violence against women and girls more generally, is being mainstreamed in access to justice programmes and forms a key part of conflict and peace building strategies.

Strategically particular countries are chosen for research and implementations (e.g. Sudan and Pakistan).

Overlapping agendas: feminist/activist/security/defence/economic.

Yet to be seen if this helps end FGM or signals a temporary commitment that achieves little as global concerns change.

4. POTENTIALLY PROBLEMATIC INCLUSION IN WIDER SECURITISATION AGENDA.

Needs to address each area:

a. Plan how to manage different relationships involved in eradication.

b. Develop a clear risk matrix and ethics code.

c. Be wary of essentialist representations by raising the visibility of grass-roots change agents.

d. Keep an eye on the shifting politics of the global agenda so FGM is not forgotten.

TOWARDS A GLOBAL PROTOCOL