FRONTIERS
Research Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa
on Female Genital Cutting

Publications/Resources
Council researchers' names appear in boldface type.

2008
"Burkina Faso: Political will, law enforcement, and educational campaigns appear to be reducing FGM/C," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 72. Washington, DC: Population Council. (full text)

Diop, Nafissatou, Zakari Congo, Aïna Ouédraogo, Alphonsine Sawadogo, Lydia Saloucou, and Ida Tamini. “Analysis of the evolution of the practice of female genital mutilation/cutting in Burkina Faso,” FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 1 MB) (executive summary in English; report in French)

Diop, Nafissatou, Amadou Moreau, and Hélène Benga. “Evaluation of the long-term impact of the TOSTAN Programme on the abandonment of FGM/C and early marriage: Results from a qualitative study in Senegal,” FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 359 KB)

"Kenya: Islamic scholars find no religious justification for FGM/C," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 73. Washington, DC: Population Council. (full text)

"Kenya: Training can enhance providers’ management of FGM/C and willingness to advocate against the practice," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 71. Washington, DC: Population Council. (full text)

"Senegal: Education and public declarations contribute to Tostan’s success," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 70. Washington, DC: Population Council. (full text)

2007
Abdi, Maryam Sheikh. “A religious oriented approach to addressing FGM/C among the Somali community of Wajir, Kenya,” FRONTIERS Report. Nairobi: Population Council (PDF, 752 KB)

"Evaluation of the prevalence, typology, and complications of female genital cutting in patients of Bazega health clinics,” OR/TA II Final Report (1998 report translated from the French). Ouagadougou: Population Council, Ministry of Health, Direction of Family Health, Unit for Teaching and Demographic Research, Mwangaza. (PDF)

“Evaluation of the strategies to convert female circumcisers in order to eradicate female genital mutilation (FGM),” OR/TA II Final Report (1998 report translated from the French). Bamako: Population Council, Republic of Mali, Ministry of Secondary and Higher Education and Scientific Research. (PDF)

Feldman-Jacobs, Charlotte and Sarah Ryanick (eds.). "L’abandon des mutilations génitales féminines et de l’excision Un examen attentif de pratiques prometteuses." Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau. (PDF)

"Female genital mutilation/cutting: Publications on research in FGM/C—Mutilations génitales féminines: Publications sur la recherche concernant l'excision," FRONTIERS CD-ROM. Nairobi: Population Council. (For a copy, contact frontiers@popcouncil.org)

Kenya Ministry of Health. "Management of complications, pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period in the presence of FGM/C: A reference manual for health service providers." Nairobi: Division of Reproductive Health, Ministry of Health. (PDF, 1.2 MB)

Kenya Ministry of Health and Population Council. “Reproductive health update trainings for health workers in North Eastern Province, Garissa,” Nairobi: Ministry of Health and Population Council. (PDF, 378 KB)

“Kenya: Begin community dialogue on FGM/C by discussing cultural justification,” FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 59. Washington, DC: Population Council. (full text)

“Kenya: Mobilize health care providers to advocate against FGM/C,” FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 60. Washington, DC: Population Council. (full text)

"Review of FRONTIERS program FGC-related activities, February 2007." Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF)

Sangaré, Madina, Fatoumata Tandia, Keita Attaher Touré, Nafissatou J. Diop, Fatoumata Traoré, Habibatou Diallo, Ousmane Traoré, Aissa Haidara Touré, Youssouf Diallo. “Study of the effectiveness of training Malian social and health agents in female genital cutting issues and in educating their clients,” OR/TA II Final Report (1998 report translated from the French). Bamako: Division of Family and Community Health, Population Council, Association for the Support and Development of  Population Activities. (PDF)

2006
"Accelerating the abandonment of female genital cutting: Community change to support human rights," USAID Maximizing Access and Quality (MAQ) Global Health Technical Brief. Baltimore: INFO Project. (PDF)

Diop, Nafissatou. "Technical assistance to organizations in Guinea seeking to reduce female genital cutting," FRONTIERS Final Report. Senegal: Population Council. (PDF, 543 KB)

Diop, Nafissatou J. and Ian Askew. "Strategies for encouraging the abandonment of female genital cutting in West Africa: Experiences from Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Mali," in Rogaia M. Abusharaf (ed.), Female Circumcision: Multicultural Perspectives. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.*

Feldman-Jacobs, Charlotte (ed.). "Informations sur la mutilation génitale féminine : Quelle est la situation ? Quels sont les besoins ? Évaluation (juillet 2004)." Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau. (PDF)

Feldman-Jacobs, Charlotte and Sarah Ryanick (eds.). "Abandoning female genital mutilation/cutting: An in-depth look at promising practices." Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau. (PDF)

2005
Askew, Ian. "Methodological issues in measuring the impact of interventions against female genital cutting," Culture, Health & Sexuality 7(5): 463–477. (PDF)

"Burkina Faso: Community education program scaled-up in Burkina Faso," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 55. Washington, DC: Population Council. (full text)

Jaldesa, Guyo W., Ian Askew, Caroline Njue, and Monica Wanjiru. “Female genital cutting among the Somali of Kenya and management of its complications,” FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 460 KB)

Rajadurai, Henrietta and Susan Igras. 2005. “At the intersection of health, social well-being and human rights: CARE’s experiences working with communities toward abandonment of female genital cutting (FGC).” CARE Report. Atlanta: CARE. (PDF) (related project: "Technical Assistance to CARE International for Testing Interventions to Eliminate Female Genital Cutting (FGC)")

"Senegal: Community education program increases dialogue on FGC," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 54. Washington, DC: Population Council. (full text)

Shaaban, Layla M. and Sarah Harbison. "Reaching the tipping point against female genital mutilation," Lancet 366(9483): 347–349. (with permission from Elsevier) (PDF, 150 KB)

2004
Chege, Jane, Ian Askew, Susan Igras, and Jacinta K. Muteshi. “Testing the effectiveness of integrating community-based approaches for encouraging abandonment of female genital cutting into CARE’s reproductive health programs in Ethiopia and Kenya,” FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 1.6 MB)

Diop, Nafissatou J., Modou Mbacke Faye, Amadou Morea, Jacqueline Cabral, Hélène Benga, Fatou Cissé, Babacar Mané, Inge Baumgarten, and Molly Melching. "The Tostan program: Evaluation of a community-based education program in Senegal," FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council.  (PDF,1.4 MB)

Diop, Nafissatou J., Djingri Ouoba, Zakari Congo, Molly Melching, Baya Banza, Georges Guiella, and Inge Baumgarten. "Experience from a community-based education program in Burkina Faso: The Tostan program," FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 1.5 MB)

Feldman-Jacobs, Charlotte (ed.). "Information on female genital cutting: What is out there? What is needed? An assessment." Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau. (offsite link)

Njue, Carolyne and Ian Askew. “Medicalization of female genital cutting among the AbaGusii in Nyanza Province, Kenya,” FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 829 KB)

2003
Diop, Nafissatou J., Edmond Badge, Djingri Ouoba, and Molly Melching. “Replication of the TOSTAN programme in Burkina Faso: How 23 villages participated in a human rights-based education programme and abandoned the practice of female genital cutting in Burkina Faso,” FRONTIERS Report. Dakar: Population Council. (PDF, 790 KB)

Diop, Nafissatou J., Edmond Badge, Djingri Ouoba, and Molly Melching. “Comment 23 villages s’initient aux Droits Humains et abandonnent la pratique de l’excision au Burkina Faso: Documentation de la stratégie TOSTAN.” FRONTIERS Report. Dakar: Population Council. (PDF 1.7 MB)

"Using operations research to strengthen programmes for encouraging abandonment of female genital cutting: Report of a consultative meeting on methodological issues for FGC research, April 9–11, 2002, Nairobi, Kenya," FRONTIERS Report. Nairobi: Population Council. (PDF, 543 KB)

2002
"Kenya: Community sensitization must precede alternative coming-of-age rite," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 27. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 284 KB)

2001
Chege, Jane Njeri, Ian Askew, and Jennifer Liku. "An assessment of the alternative rites approach for encouraging abandonment of FGC in Kenya," FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 1.2 MB)

"FGC in Egypt: Myths and realities exposed,” Asia and Near East Operations Research and Technical Assistance Project Report. Cairo: Population Council. (no electronic copy available; print document available in English and Arabic; e-mail frontiers@popcouncil.org)

2000
Abdel-Tawab, Nahla and Sahar Hegazi. "Critical analysis of interventions against FGC in Egypt," FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF) (summary of key findings in Arabic)

"Burkina Faso and Mali: Female genital cutting harms women's health," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 10. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 331 KB)

"Burkina Faso et Mali: L'excision compromet la santé des femmes," Résumés de RO N°  10. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 123 KB)

"Decline in female circumcision likely among Egyptian adolescents, recent research suggests," Population Briefs 6(1): 1. (PDF in Arabic)

"Mali: Les exciseuses persistent malgré les supplications," Résumés de RO N°  2. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 126 KB)

"Mali: Empowering health workers to advocate against female genital cutting," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 11. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 310 KB)

"Mali: FGC excisors persist despite entreaties," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 2. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 314 KB)

"Mali: Pour une plus grande responsabilisation des agents de santé dans le plaidoyer contre l'excision," Résumés de RO N° 11. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 118 KB)

"The Tostan story: Breakthrough in Senegal— Ending female genital cutting," FRONTIERS Report. Cairo: Population Council. (full text) (hard copy available in French from frontiers@popcouncil.org)

1999
Jones, Heidi, Nafissatou Diop, Ian Askew, and Inoussa Kaboré. "Female genital cutting practices in Burkina Faso and Mali and their negative health outcomes." Studies in Family Planning 30(3): 219-230. (PDF, 100 KB)

"The Tostan story: Breakthrough in Senegal: Ending female genital cutting," FRONTIERS Report. Dakar: Population Council (PDF) (PDF in Arabic)

Tostan. "ECLOSION au Sénégal: Pourquoi les populations abandonnent la pratique de l'Excision," Rapport du Projet de Recherche Operationnelle et d'Assistance Technique en Afrique II. Dakar: Population Council. (PDF)

1998
Diop, Nafissatou J., Fatoumata Traoré, Habibatou Diallo, Ousmane Traoré, Aissa Haidara Touré, Youssouf Diallo, Madina Sangaré, Fatoumata Tandia Keita, and Attaher Touré. “Etude de l’efficacité de la formation du personnel socio-sanitaire dans l’education des client(e)s sur l’excision et dans le traitement de ses complications au Mali [Study of the effectiveness of training health personnel on educating clients on excision and managing FGC complications in Mali],” Rapport Final du Projet de Recherche Operationnelle et d’Assistance Technique en Afrique II. Bamako: Population Council et République du Mali, Ministère de la Santé, des Personnes Agées et de la Solidarité (MSPAS), Association de Soutien au Développement des activités de Population (ASDAP). (PDF, 147 KB)

"Evaluation de la prevalence, de la typologie et des complications liees a l'excision chez les patientes frequentant les formations sanitaires du Bazega [Burkina Faso]," Rapport Final du Projet de Recherche Operationnelle et d’Assistance Technique en Afrique II. Ouagadougou: Population Council, Ministère de la Santé, Direction de la Santé de la Famille, Unité d’Enseignement et de Recherche en Démographie, Mwangaza. (PDF, 68KB)

Population Council et Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST). “Evaluation de la stratégie de reconversion des exciseuses pour l’eradication des mutilations génitales féminines au Mali [Evaluation of the strategy to retrain excisors for the eradication of female genital mutilation in Mali],” Rapport Final du Projet de Recherche Operationnelle et d’Assistance Technique en Afrique II. Bamako: Population Council et République du Mali, Ministère des Enseignements Secondaire, Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique. (PDF, 151 KB)

"Rapport du seminaire national [au Mali] pour la definition d'une strategie d'eradication de l'excision," Rapport du Projet de Recherche Operationnelle et d’Assistance Technique en Afrique II. Bamako: Population Council et République du Mali, Commissariat à la Promotion des Femmes. (PDF, 224 KB)

1997
"Confirming the extent of female genital cutting (FGC)," Asia and Near East OR/TA Summary. Cairo: Population Council. (full text) (PDF in Arabic)

Diallo, Assitan. "Mutilations genitales geminines (MGF) au Mali: Revue de la litterature et des actions menees," Rapport Final du Projet de Recherche Operationnelle et d’Assistance Technique en Afrique II. Bamako: Population Council. (PDF, 280 KB)

1996
"Clinic-based investigation of the typology and self-reporting of FGM in Egypt," Asia and Near East Operations Research and Technical Assistance Project Final Report. Cairo: Population Council. (PDF)

"Egypt: Confirming the extent of female genital mutilation (FGM)," Asia and Near East Operations Research and Technical Assistance Project OR Summary. Cairo: Population Council. (full text) (PDF in Arabic)

*Not available from the Population Council

Copies of conference reports, summaries, program briefs, and research updates are available free of charge. Contact frontiers@popcouncil.org. FRONTIERS publications are also available on the USAID/DEC Web site, www.dec.org.

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