GAMCOTRAP On Traditional Practices
Friday 4th May 2007

The Gambia Committee on traditional practices affecting the Health of women and children GAMCOTRAP has been engaged in consistent grassroots activism and social mobilsation, through training and sensitization activities to raise consciousness of men and women about traditional practices that are inimical to the health and wellbeing of women and children in The Gambia.

The organization has been able to register immense success working with communities leading to the dropping of the knife by some circumcisers and their communities to stop the practice of female genital mutilation.

As part of this land mark achievement, the ‘SHE SHE’ anchor decided to have an interview with the GAMCOTRAP’s executive director, Dr Isatou Touray. Please read below in order to know more about GAMCOTRAP.

She She: As it was announced that eighteen circumcisers had dropped their knives, so how did GAMCOTRAP go about achieving this success?

Dr Isatou: It was not easy but over the past twenty years, it was a very long journey to create an awareness about culture and traditional practices in our community. It was about women’s health and well-being in the context of our cultural practices and also how these practices impact on women’s reproductive health and rights, we also looked at the influencing factors and found out that there were religious misinterpretations. As a result of this, GAMCOTRAP set up a social mobilization process which conceptualized traditional practices, particularly female genital mutilation. This process involved training and information campaign, training of trainers, advocacy with decision and policy making. We also targeted the critical actors in various communities and engaged in what we call “Grassroots activism” to end FGM in Africa, and in this case The Gambia also engaged in other campaign rights, based on approach where women’s human rights and children rights were central to analysis of traditional practices in our communities.

The communities approach, which GAMCOTRAP adopted, was very effective and acceptable by the people. It involved building concerns around issues and analysis further to come up with a common understanding. We have been working with clusters and in each cluster we have chiefs, Alkalolu, women, youth, National Women’s Council representatives, herbalists and circumcisers as our target. We also involved the relevant development in the clusters: we have Community Health Nurses (CHU), State Enrolled Nurses (SEN), divisional area coordinators (DAC) who are also drawn as resource persons. We also looked at the economic dimension and try to alleviate poverty among the circumcisers. We offer them alternative employment opportunities, projects, and through these projects the circumcisers were trained on issues of women’s health and wellbeing. These women in turn become facilitators and role models in their communities.

Our philosophy is grounded in living with people, eating with them, dancing, playing, and learning with them to effect change. Through the community based approach, Gamcotrap was able to build up confidence among the people, and the issue of FGM and other harmful traditional practices were discussed in an open and honest manner among the communities which created this event. Also the sustained support from the donors such as ‘Save the Children’ made a big difference in the fight against FGM. ‘Save the Children’ provided financial and technical support to Gamcotrap up to date to reach these results, similarly other donors like ‘Equality Now’. The Inter African Committee also provided sustained support to see that the campaign against FGM succeeds.

She She: What are some of the challenges you encounter?

Dr Isatou: Some of the challenges have been short-term funding. A one-off funding was not sufficient to give the desired results and I would like to urge donors who are interested in supporting our activities to sign a three-year contract to be able to see the desired result, however institutional support such as upgrading liberty, buying a vehicle, and supporting the staff.

She She: What plans do you have next?

Dr Isatou: It is the commitment, conviction and readiness to go to the remote areas to work with them, which is the most important thing in our social mobilization process. No donor can provide all the resources needed, however funds to facilitate the process is critical and Gamcotrap appeals for support to carry on the other communities that have not had access to right information and to make right decisions. We are committed to work until FGM stops in The Gambia.

We want to thank all those who contributed in one way or the other to the success of this event, especially the media.