End FGM European Network at the European Parliament: Launching Our 2025 Annual Campaign and Celebrating Join Our Chain
End FGM European Network at the European Parliament: Launching Our 2025 Annual Campaign and Celebrating Join Our Chain
On 4th February 2025, we hosted an impactful event at the European Parliament to mark the beginning of the Week of Zero Tolerance for FGM and launch our 2025 Annual Campaign. Co-hosted by MEP Maria Noichl (S&D, Germany), this event was an essential moment to reflect on our collective progress and reaffirm our commitment to ending FGM and other gender-based harmful practices.
As Marianne Nguena, our Interim Director, highlighted in her speech:
"With the new EU mandate and several important projects, like Join Our Chain, coming to an end, we’re taking this opportunity to organize a full week of events in Brussels, at the heart of European institutions where crucial decisions are made. We need to strengthen our collective voice and ensure we’re pushing for the implementation of the policies that will help us end FGM. We must hold the authorities accountable."
Marianne Nguena, End FGM EU Interim Director
Celebrating the Completion of Join Our Chain
This event was an important occasion to celebrate the successful conclusion of the Join Our Chain project, a key initiative aimed at preventing and eliminating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Early and Forced Marriage (EFM). The project involved several partner organizations, including TERRE DES FEMMES (Germany), ActionAid (Italy), and Akidwa (Ireland), and its outcomes were shared with an engaged audience of community trainers, policymakers, and stakeholders.
Throughout the conference, we reflected on the incredible work done during this two-year project, including intervention chains in Germany, Italy, and Ireland. We also discussed the impact of the Join Our Chain Video Tutorial awareness campaign, which has been instrumental in educating communities and policymakers about the need to address FGM and EFM.
As Petra Kappler, Terre des Femmes and JOC project coordinator outlined:
“We just did not reach our goals, we overachieved them, [...] with the sensitization of 100 Community Leaders, 2.600 Community Members and 87 key professionals. We owe this success thanks to our great communities, thank you for the incredible commitment.”
Watch the Join Our Chain Video Tutorial
Between the panels, before joining the discussion with Community Trainers, there was a moment of unity and a well-deserved break, thanks to Fatou Diatta, who led everyone in singing together.
Song Break with Fatou Diatta
Community Voices & Powerful Calls to Action
Community Trainers: Deborah Oniah (Akidwa), Riham Ibrahim & Benedetta Balmaverde (ActionAid Italy), Evariste Franz Kapnang Tchaptchet (Terre des Femmes)
One of the most inspiring parts of the event was hearing from Community Trainers (CTs) who shared their personal stories. Many of these individuals are FGM Survivors, and their messages were powerful calls for collective action. Their personal stories provided deep insights into the transformative power of the project, as well as the ongoing challenges faced at the community level. These discussions reinforced the need for continued, collective action to eliminate these harmful practices.
During the second Panel of the event Discussion and Exchange, Riham Ibrahim, a young community leader from ActionAid Italy, shared her perspective:
Riham Ibrahim CT from Italy
Evariste Franz Kapnang Tchaptchet, community trainer from Germany spoke about the crucial role of community engagement in ending FGM and the key importance of trainers within these communities. Trainers are not only essential for spreading awareness and education but also for building trust and creating a sustainable impact. They are the bridge between global efforts and local realities, ensuring that information reaches the right people in the most effective way. As Evariste emphasized,
“After 10 years it would be nice for us Community Trainers to be recognised as experts in this field, so that can give the possibility for us even after this project, to keep working, also abroad.”
Evariste Franz Kapnang Tchaptchet CT from Germany
During the 'Strengthening Advocacy and Partnerships' panel, Carla Mikhael, a Community Trainer from Germany, addressed an important aspect of working with affected communities. She highlighted the need for mutual acculturation, stressing that it’s not only crucial to support the integration of people arriving in Germany, but equally important to focus on the acculturation of those working with and serving these communities. As Carla put it,
“We do not only need the acculturation of people arriving in Germany,but we also need the acculturation of people serving affecting communities.”
Mep Maria Noichl, Carla Mikhael Community Trainer
This statement emphasizes that those working in the field, including social workers, healthcare professionals, and community leaders, must also understand and adapt to the cultural nuances of the communities they are supporting. This two-way process of cultural exchange fosters deeper empathy, enhances the effectiveness of interventions, and creates a more inclusive environment for everyone involved in the fight against FGM and other harmful practices."
Their words and experiences truly captured the essence of what the fight against FGM is all about—community, support, and the collective responsibility we all share in bringing about change.
Finally, we had the honor of closing the event with remarks by MEP Maria Noichl, to whom we extend our heartfelt thanks for her invaluable support in co-organising the event. Her dedication and commitment to the cause were instrumental in making this gathering a success, and we are deeply grateful for her continued efforts in advancing the fight against FGM and other gender-based harmful practices
Mep Maria Noichl
MEP Maria Noichl reaffirmed her strong commitment to supporting the global efforts aimed at eradicating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). She emphasized the importance of this cause and expressed her unwavering dedication to fighting for its elimination. In addition, she took a moment to acknowledge the courage and resilience of the activists in the room, praising their relentless dedication to the cause. She even posed a thoughtful question to them, asking how they find the strength and willpower to continue their vital work, despite the challenges they face.
Introducing Our 2025 Annual Campaign: #Invest2PreventFGM
The 4th of February event was also the moment we officially launched our 2025 Annual Campaign, revealing this year’s theme for the first time:
#Invest2PreventFGM: Building a Future Free from FGM.
We’ve chosen this theme because we firmly believe that investing in prevention strategies is the most sustainable way to eliminate FGM. As Our Interim Director explained during her presentation:
"Investing in prevention not only addresses the root causes of FGM but also reduces the broader social and economic costs that these harmful practices create. We need to ensure that FGM is eradicated in our generation."
Throughout the year, we will focus on prevention across various sectors of society, with each monthdedicated to a different subtheme. Here are just a few of the important topics we’ll cover:
- Support and healthcare services for Survivors
- Engaging youth and affected communities
- Protection & prevention practices with an intersectional and inclusive approach
- Real-life stories from community leaders and Survivors
Our campaign toolkit is now available, and we invite you to explore it [here] to learn more about how you can contribute and share our message.
Get Involved: Together, We Can Make a Difference
Fatou Diatta Community Trainer, Petra Kappler Terre des Femmes
As we move forward with our #Invest2PreventFGM campaign, we encourage everyone—individuals, organizations, and governments—to join us in taking action. Ending FGM is a shared responsibility, and we all have a role to play. Stay connected, share the campaign, and continue to support our work. Together, we can build a future free from FGM.
Queralt Perarnau Project Officer End FGM EU holding our campaign hashtag
- Rewatch the streaming of the Conference: LinkedIn and YouTube
- Donate
- Join our Campaign: #Invest2PreventFGM