Community workshops

Monthly meetings

These monthly meetings are historically the oldest community workshops organised by GAMS.

Awareness-raising must also be carried out with all female newcomers. Some are mothers and have managed to leave their country to protect their children from circumcision, others have had to leave their children behind fleeing death threats or some simply haven’t yet had children. Whatever the situation of the women who we see, it’s important for us to obtain their views on female circumcision and that they participate in our monthly meetings during which various topics are approached.

Subjects that are directly related to their life story : the place of religion in the mutilations, the medical consequences/complications of genital mutilations or other various topics, permitting them to understand on a social level such as the rights of foreigners, how to find a formation or meetings raising their awareness of the various realities: domestic violence, eating disorders….

Preparation for childbirth

These workshops are aimed at pregnant women, circumcised or victims of sexual violence, asylum seekers, benefiting from a subsidiary protection or refugees.

These preparatory sessions do not replace the prenatal consultations by a gynecologist or a midwife. They are sessions to improve the women’s well-being and to give them somewhere to ask all questions regarding care during the pregnancy and giving birth in Belgium. These sessions can also be a place for discussion about the pregnancy, the protection of the unborn child with regard to certain traditional practices (female circumcision, forced marriages, violence). From 2016 the meetings will be held every 15 days and not once a month : 6 sessions are devoted to pregnancy, childbirth and early post-partum and two sessions are planned with the baby after the birth.

As the meeting lasts three hours and we also want to encourage good eating habits during pregnancy, a snack is offered (dairy products, fruit, bread, juice).

The participation in the sessions is voluntary and free of charge. Transport costs will be reimbursed.

Youth workshop  

The Youth Workshop is a group of young girls between 15 and 25 years which addresses as much non-accompanied minors as youngsters who migrated with their parents.

The objective is to give the words of young girls a particular place, young adults to be, outside of the workshops on the last Friday of the month, which are aimed at an adult public. The same questions are discussed in both groups (the question of stereotypes, discrimination, equality men/women, gender violence,…) with the difference, in this workshop, to approach the contents by using creativity.

The number of participants is unlimited, the workshop is fortnightly with a totally free participation.

  • For who: young girls between 15 et 25 yrs
  • When? Wednesday afternoons from 14.30 to 16.30, fortnightly workshop throughout the year
  • Contact: Annalisa annalisa@gams.be / Carolina : carolina@gams.be or 02/219.43.40

Workshop for men: self discovering and building

The community workshop is for men who want to learn about and get involved in the fight against female genital mutilation.

This workshop aims to:

  • involve men in the fight against female genital mutilation
  • question its representations with respect to women’s rights
  • deconstruct the basis of inequalities on different subjects (parenthood, sexuality, masculinity, gender, etc.).
  • exchange experiences that can contribute to a better dialogue between men and women and to the reduction of violence
  • getting to know each other better and having a new vision in the relationship between man and woman

Registration and contact

  • Annalisa D’Aguanno via annalisa@gams.be or 02 219 43 40