Methodologies of Prevention

Traditional harmful practices continue to pose significant challenges to the well-being and empowerment of women and girls worldwide. The following are methodologies of prevention that can be incorporated into specific initiatives and programs to address these challenges effectively, including education campaigns, community engagement efforts, legislative changes, and support networks.

1. Comprehensive Health Education and Support to Families

Comprehensive education about family planning, reproductive health and the effects of these behaviours is also necessary for addressing health-related issues. It is imperative that women impacted by detrimental customs should have access to healthcare services so they can obtain the necessary medical care and assistance. Furthermore, developing awareness and alternative, non-harmful rites of passage requires active community involvement and cooperation with local authorities, including, when needed, socio-cultural mediation and family intervention programmes.

2. Promotion of Literacy and Education

A geographical assessment by UNICEF highlights that low levels of education are a common defining feature of communities in which the indexes of child marriage are outstanding. Data demonstrates that “in the five countries with the world’s highest rates of child marriage, 15 % or fewer girls finish secondary school; in the top three countries, completion rates for secondary school are no more than 5 %” (Murray et al., 2023, para. 4). Case studies demonstrate that promoting and supporting female literacy, acutely decreases the prevalence of unlawful practices, such as FGM and early childhood marriage. The target should be to promote female education, both for adult women and young girls, by increasing school enrolment and attendance above primary school years.

3. Awareness-Raising Campaigns

Campaigns to eliminate the prevalence of traditional HPs must not be limited to an initial contact, but rather follow on after initial awareness building. Equally, the target population cannot only be women, all societal levels can benefit from awareness raising campaigns to generate the shift in thinking that is needed. In particular, it is extremely important to inform parents, religious or traditional authorities or health workers, with a focus on harmful health consequences rather than the legal or human aspects (Murray et al., 2023). It is also fundamental to take into account and integrate within strategies the cultural reality of the country of implementation: policies must respect and be adjusted to the cultural specificities of the countries they are targeting, in accordance with a culture-sensitive approach.

4. Training and Capacity-Building

Provide educational resources and training programs for professionals, including health, education, and community workers, to identify and address instances of harmful practices effectively. Implement legislative changes, such as mandatory reporting, to ensure frontline practitioners are equipped to respond to cases of harm. In order for prevention to bring results, there should be sensitization of the community without judging one’s tradition, but by explaining why harmful practices such as female genital mutilation are dangerous for the woman’s mental and physical health, using a victim-centered approach. The agents involved in raising awareness should have received the proper training on how to approach people and communities where harmful practices are performed.

5. Civic Engagement and Peer-to-Peer Support

States should actively promote the participation of women and girls in decision-making processes and initiatives aimed at ending harmful practices, thereby fostering their empowerment and agency. Additionally, they should facilitate the establishment of support groups and help networks for women and girls affected by harmful practices, providing a secure environment for sharing experiences and accessing resources. Regular communication with traditional leaders and community stakeholders is essential to organize awareness-raising events and engagement activities that challenge cultural norms and perceptions surrounding harmful practices. Alongside these efforts, various practical methodologies can be employed, such as: information sessions in schools, digital outreach through brochures and flowcharts, social media campaigns, targeted sessions for at-risk youth, artistic productions promoting awareness, reflective debate forums, training programs for activists, awareness-raising activities for higher education students, and meetings with affected communities, including both girls and boys.