To end FGM : Arab boys and men speak out
Why the media:
- Because the media has a role in Socialization
- Because the media necessarily defends the human rights of all groups
- Because the media is able to make Change
- Because the media today has included Gender equality, preserving human dignity and defending the sanctity of body in its professional ethics and codes of conduct
- Because the language of discourse is an important tool It to limit the practice
- Because the media is specific in making certain topics of people’s interests and in including them on the agenda of actors’ priorities
- Because the media has a social responsibility
Media has a very important role in perpetuating or opposing the practice... As a matter of social responsibility that every journalist have to undertake, it is to combat every phenomenon or practice that is considered as a violation of the human rights of any group and an insult to the dignity of any human being. So, female genital mutilation is one of those practices . In particular, paying attention to the role of boys and men, journalists can pay attention to the following issues:
- Learn more about this practice and its implications with the aim of asking right and accurate questions,
- Highlight the role of men in making decisions related to the practice : does he participate in decision-making / does hefund the rituals / Is he able to advocate for his daughter / Is he able to confront her...,
- Raise awareness about the fact that the practice is socio-cultural so can be addressed,
- Search for men who have stood up to it and highlight their voices frequently,
- Search for stories of great harmony between husband and wife, father and daughter, brother and sister, grandfather and granddaughter in rejecting the practice,
- Highlight the penalties imposed on those who carry out the practice, especially those that include parents and non-declarers (even if they are not included in national legislation...so that comparisons are made between the legislation of the countries where this practice is widespread),
- Search for stories in areas where the spread of the practice has been reduced,
- Promote stories that illustrate the need to ensure that perpetrators of female genital mutilation cases are held accountable,
- Search, even outside borders, for stories of girls who underwent mutilation treatment (many girls underwent surgical operations for this purpose),
- Write about the dangers of this practice on sexual intercourse, achieving intimate harmony between spouses, and on childbirth (the opinion of men themselves and male doctors),
- Humanize media contents so that it tells real harmony, real stories of suffering, and opposing opinions from different groups of society,
- Remind the state of its international obligations regarding ratified treaties and agreements,
- Break stereotypes and misinformation.
Do not forget :
- The principle of "non-harm", meaning not causing any suffering to the affected people and their families, and the principle of respecting the culture of local communities and not underestimating them,
- Female genital mutilation is not a “women’s matter” as much as it is a social norm that everyone bears responsibility to uphold,
- The repercussions of the practice affect the entire family without exception, the group, and the state (costs), although they are more severe on those affected by it,
- The practice should not be justified as a social norm from ancient times or by enumerating classifications of mutilation by referring to degrees of its severity in a way that reduces the harm of some forms of FGM,
- The practice should be clearly indicated as a gross violation of human rights and evidence of discrimination based on gender,
- Not assume that everyone knows about the practice, as studies have shown that a significant percentage of boys and men have not heard of it even in societies where it is widespread.
Discourse language
| YES | NO |
|---|---|
| Use the expressions and words that boys and men use while speaking about FGM practice, and considering that each story is different from the other, as they have more experience with their local communities, their rituals, and their social standards | Put the story in other terms, assuming knowledge of rituals and practices, and using judgmental expressions |
| Adopt the term « female genital mutilation »Learn about colloquial terms | Mislead use of the term « circumcision » |
| Adopt an understandable discourse that respects the human self and avoids stigma | |
| All forms of mutilation cause physical and psychological damage, and there is no hierarchy between them | Focus only on practice from a technical and medical view |
| Women and girls who have been subjected to the practice are survivors, not victims | Focus on the victim |
| Speak about positive attitudes of boys and men | Focuse on “fossilized” images of boys and men and highlight the “rigidity” of their positions |
| Pay attention to concerned groups instead of the practice, respect them and push them to talk about non-practitioners in their communities | Assume that all group members have the same attitudes about the practice |
Remember
- Stay away from victimization as much as possible: avoid, whenever possible, the use of descriptions and expressions with negative connotations.
- Rely on evidence : any data that reflects on society, such as the cost of the practice at the national level
- Reflect the concerns of the affected people: Try as much as possible to make media production close to people’s daily concerns and interests.
- Add a human dimension to your contents: by talking about human stories that have an emotional charge or that include determination and will to oppose the practice
- Communicate through other voices: on an ongoing basis keep the floor to ordinary people who rejected the practiceto speak out
- Continuous search: for new voices, for good practices, for data (or the absence of data), for advocates, in a way that preserves human dignity and the sanctity of body.
- Put the issue on the priority agenda: Adopt campaign’s topics (not campaigns) and address them from different dimensions on a periodic basis
- Stay away as much as possible from the language commonly used about the practice: the media has its own language and discourse that is closest to the people
- Highlight the advocates of the practice: from the general public at the local level (parents, grandparents, doctors, nurses, teachers, artists, content makers, influencers...)
- Respect professional ethics: which calls for not insulting human dignity and therefore respecting woman subjected to the practice: not highlighting her moments of extreme weakness, providing an appropriate place for the interview, not violating her privacy, not publishing pictures of people except with their permission, not exposing them to danger whatever its source, and not recognize her in danger (it is your responsibility to protect them even if they accept things that they do not know or are not aware of their repercussions on them...)
- Educate people: through deep research about the issue, presenting evidence, and opinions of male and female experts and activists in the field, breaking the silence and continuous search for the truth.
- Establish permanent relationships: with civil society organizations, the police, and doctors as a source of information and to reach those who have undergone the practice and those who oppose it, as well as male and female experts who are experienced about the subject and about what is new in its particular area.
