GAMS BELGIUM
Together, let’s put an end to female genital mutilation
Since 1996, GAMS Belgium has been fighting for the abolition of female genital mutilation in Belgium and around the world.
FGM, what is it?
Female genital mutilation, or female genital cutting, refers to “procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.” (WHO, 2014)
Type I
CLITORIDECTOMy
Partial or total removal of the clitoral glans and/or clitoral hood.
Type II
EXCISION
Partial or total removal of the clitoral glans and the inner labia, with or without excision of the outer labia.
Type III
INFIBULATION
Narrowing of the vaginal opening through cutting and repositioning of the inner or outer labia, sometimes by suturing, with or without removal of the clitoral hood and glans.
Type IV
All other harmful interventions on the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, such as pricking, piercing, incising, scraping, and cauterizing the genital organs..
Our areas of work
Our actions & our commitments
Prevention
Through prevention, we aim to prevent girls born in Belgium or who arrived at a very young age from being subjected to FGM/C in Europe, upon return to their country of origin or that of their parents.
Protection
The role of GAMS Belgium is to provide tools to professionals and/or family members to prevent imminent FGM/C or a planned excision.
Support
Empowering women and young girls to speak out and express what they have experienced in a safe, non-judgmental environment represents the foundation of support at GAMS Belgium.
Advocacy & expertise
The strength of GAMS Belgium lies in its bottom-up approach, meaning that all its grassroots work with affected communities and professionals informs the content of its advocacy, which is grounded in the experiences of those affected.
Training
Training aims to improve the identification and support of those affected.
International cooperation
Recognizing that the issues related to female genital mutilation extend beyond national borders, we are committed to working in partnership with global actors to create impact on an international scale.
News
Evras workshop
annual calendar cs-fgm 2024Evras workshopThe Coordinated Strategies to Combat FGM (CS-FGM) launch this year's new workshop series in French, the EVRAS series: shared responsibility between parents and professionals! We...
Memorandum
Towards the abandonment of female genital mutilationMemorandum “prevent and protect”According to UNICEF, at least 200 million girls and women currently living in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia have...
Order now the awareness-raising posters
Available resourcesOrder now the awareness-raising postersYou already know the ACCESS project and its online tools such as the awareness-raising videos on gender-based violence (GBV), the mapping of support services and...
Standards for Community-Based
Standards for Community-Based Services for Migrant Women and Girls affected by GBVStandards for Community-BasedDisplay the new ACCESS Community Standards poster in your premises to show that you meet the standards for...
New responsibilities within gams belgium
GAMS Belgium is part of a solid networkNew responsibilities within gams belgiumGAMS Belgium continues its commitment beyond the association! In recent weeks, several colleagues have taken on new leadership roles. Our...
GAMS’ team wishes for 2023!
GAMS’ team wishes for 2023!Each of us at GAMS Belgium would like to thank you for your support and commitment to our organisation. The year 2022 was rich in actions, trainings and partnerships. We wish our partners and...
By leveraging strong national and international networks, GAMS Belgium aims to create an environment conducive to the exchange of best practices, cooperation, and the promotion of global policies aimed at eliminating female genital mutilation.
One fight, one network.
Our funders
We are here for you.
Do you want to help a woman or girl at risk of FGM/C? Are you at risk of FGM/C yourself? Do you need someone to talk to? Are you concerned about FGM/C for yourself or someone you know and don’t know what to do?
Contact us at +32 (0)2 219 43 40 or send us a message using the form below.