Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a widespread problem in Egypt, affecting approximately 96% of Egyptian married women. It represents a fundamental violation of human rights that can cause severe pain, birth and psychological traumas, sexual dysfunctions and fatal health problems.

The FGM–Free Village Model project aims to eliminate the practice of FGM in sixty villages in six governorates (Asyout, Aswan, Beni Suef, Minya, Qena and Sohag) where it is almost universal. In each case this will be achieved by targeting the entire community; informing people of the dangers posed by FGM, raising awareness of women's rights, supporting advocacy and empowering those girls most at risk.

More specifically the project will:

·   Engage in youth forums, awareness campaigns and seminars to discuss issues relevant to adolescence and FGM.

·   Assist 2 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in each governorate to train community leaders to spread the anti-FGM message and co-operating with religious leaders to explain that genital mutilation is not a religious tradition  

·   Sensitize families to the dangers of FGM, discussing FGM with men through councils and the local Imam.

·   Advocate a stricter decree on the malpractice of FGM on the part of the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP).

So far the project has achieved;

·   A greater awareness of FGM, particularly in the media. Two TV spots and several talk shows have discussed the dangers posed by FGM.    

·   An increasing rejection of the practice of genital mutilation (in southern Minya, the circumcision rate has dropped from 90% to 30% in two years). Three communities have made a public declaration against the practice of FGM.

·   The emancipation of women, giving them more self confidence to speak out against FGM.  

·   The creation of a profile of each village that will serve as a baseline against which to monitor future changes and allow progress to be gauged more accurately.

Currently a large number of volunteers are involved under the guidance of twenty-six UN Volunteers. The project has been extended until 2008 to cover an additional sixty villages in Lower Egypt