Our
History

After two years of informal meetings, the non-profit organization GAMS Belgium is established, consisting of thirty members. The association receives no subsidies. Its offices are located in the apartment of the president’s daughter in St-Gilles.

First subsidies from Charles Picqué, Minister of Culture, and Miet Smet, Minister of Employment and Labor.

Opening of offices at Rue Brialmont, 11 – 1210 Saint Josse. GAMS moved to Rue Brialmont with a cash box and a folder!

First international conference of GAMS Belgium held at the Amazone center in the presence of the Ambassador of Senegal.

First brochure for the care of excised women in maternity wards written by Prof. Jean-Jacques Amy and Fabienne Richard distributed in all Belgian maternity wards.

Project “Jammu, Better Health for Little Girls” supported by the Houtman Fund. 

Launch of an integrated project to combat female genital mutilation in Vélingara, Senegal (literacy, income-generating activities).

International conference “Jammu” bringing together women and men politicians, various associations working in the field of combating female genital mutilation in Africa and Europe, associations involved in human rights, violence against women, and equal opportunities.

Participation in the documentary « Mon enfant, ma sœur, songe à ta douleur » by Violaine De Villers.

Creation of a comic book “Diariatou Against Tradition”. Khadidiatou Diallo, founding president of GAMS, is named Woman of the Year (Marie Popelin Prize) by the Council of French-Speaking Women of Belgium (CFFB).

First subsidies from the social cohesion of the municipality of St-Josse to support the GAMS Alpha class (French as a Foreign Language).

In November, GAMS Belgium received the 2007 Micheline Van Caillie-Bertrand Prize from the Medical Women’s Association of Belgium.

• Campaign against female genital mutilation “No Excision for My Daughter”.
• New offices for GAMS at Rue Traversière, 125 1210 Saint Josse.
• Production and presentation of the play “The Thing” by the women and men of GAMS.

• Project “Integration and FGM” supported by the European Refugee Fund, which allows for the expansion of the staff and training of professionals in asylum seeker reception centers.
  Coordination of writing the Belgian guide for healthcare professionals.

Release of the first qualitative research “FGM and Migration” conducted by the AIDS and Sexualities Observatory and edited by GAMS Belgium.

Completion and distribution of the first Belgian guide for professionals distributed by the Federal Public Service for Public Health and coordinated by GAMS Belgium.

• First presentation of the theater play “Aïcha’s Destiny”, a play produced by the GAMS youth group.
• GAMS moved to 6 rue Gabrielle Petit in Molenbeek.

• Launch of the traveling exhibition “FGM, My Way of Saying No” in Belgian train stations and public places.
• Opening of GAMS branches in Antwerp and Namur with the support of Fedasil and the Walloon Region.

• Presentation of prevention and protection guidelines for girls at risk of FGM before the government of the French Community of Belgium (Joint Commission of the Commission for Culture, Audiovisual, Press Aid, Cinema, Health and Equal Opportunities and the Advisory Committee tasked with examining issues related to equal opportunities between men and women).
• Release of the first FGM prevention kit with Intact and the Coordinated Strategies.

• Opening of the branch in Liège.
• Release of the best practices guide with Intact and the Coordinated Strategies.

• GAMS celebrates its 20th anniversary.
• Launch of the sponsorship project for girls in Vélingara, Senegal.

Release of the “FGM Trajectory for Women who had undergone FGM Seeking International Protection“.

GAMS publishes its new prevalence study of FGM in Belgium.

Launch of the ACCESS campaign, a project to facilitate access to prevention, protection, and support for migrant women in Europe facing gender-based violence.

GAMS Belgium launches a special COVID aid for the vulnerable population of the association with the distribution of prepaid cards to purchase essential products.

GAMS Belgium receives the “Diversity” label from Actiris for organizing, among other activities, events to showcase different cultures and countries.

• On the occasion of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, GAMS Belgium launches the #MeetYourClit campaign featuring a giant clitoris as its centerpiece. Immediate effect, the association appears in several media outlets.
• Election in June 2022 of Diarou Sow as the new president of GAMS.

National tribute at the Senate on February 6, 2023, in honor of Khadidiatou Diallo, Founder of GAMS and president for 26 years.