Advocacy

One of GAMS’ missions is to go back to the needs in the field on a political level. The strength behind GAMS plea is that it is based on a daily practice with the communities concerned and in different professional sectors. The different recommendations brought about by GAMS are the fruit of joint reflection within the Network of Concerted Stategies for the fight against Female Genital Mutilation, which includes more than forty actors.

Political demands 2019-2020

In order to structure its advocacy work, GAMS Belgium has also drawn up a list of priority political demands for 2019-2020:

  1. To ensure prevention and protection for all girls and women at risk of FGM
  2. To provide quality and continuous multidisciplinary support to women and girls who have undergone FGM throughout Belgium
  3. To ensure effective protection for women who have fled forced marriage
  4. To ensure a positive and non-stigmatizing representation of women affected by FGM and forced marriages

Read political demands in details (French)

In the context of the Belgian Federal elections in May 2019, GAMS Belgium has published an advocacy note for an improved policy for taking female genital mutilation into account.

Workgroups

GAMS Belgium and the Network of Concerted Strategies are thus very active within the different work groups which aim to difine the policies for equal opportunities, violence against women and children :

  • Workgroup coordinated by IEFH for following up the “National Plan of Action for the fight against all forms of gender based violence 2015-2019”.
  • Workgroup of FWB, RW et COCOF for following up the “Intra-French-speaking plan of action for the fight against sexist and Domestic violence 2015-2019”
  • Workgroup dedicated to FGM bn the Vlaams Forum Kindermishandeling (VFK)

GAMS Belgium, INTACT asbl and the Concerted Strategies presented, on January 27th 2014, the « Guidelines for the prevention and protection of girls at risk of female circumcision » before the joint Commission of the Commission of Culture, Audovisual, aid to the press, Film, Health and Equal Opportunities, and review committee charged with examining questions related to equal opportunities between men and women. These guidelines are the fruit of many interactions with professionals during training, workshops and observations while working in the field.

Open letters