Lessons from Senegal's Database System for Case Management for Child Protection: A Pilot Project on Web?based and Mobile Technology

This case study on the Database System for Case Management for Child Protection in Senegal focuses on rapid monitoring for immediate use in service delivery and (thus) complements other country studies in this IDS Bulletin . The case provides an exciting initiative with much potential for improving child protection services, as well as additional information generation with the potential for broader monitoring, advocacy and operations research. The challenges centre on the need for clearer definition and agreement of roles and responsibilities between actors at different levels, as well as coming to an agreed balance of the sharing of data on individual cases with data protection, for confidentiality. The key lesson has been the importance of a collaborative process of developing the system with diverse actors in child protection, coupled with an accompanying consultative process of developing an inter?sectoral national child protection strategy: in other words, a way of establishing common standards together

Tracing change in female genital mutilation/cutting through social networks: An intersectional analysis of the influence of gender, generation, status, and structural inequality

Policies and programs designed to eliminate female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Senegal have been implemented over several decades, but the practice has been surprisingly tenacious. Strategies for accelerating abandonment have been informed by theories of change, and social norms theory, in particular, has become a prominent framework for understanding behavior change dynamics. FGM/C is held in place by interdependent normative expectations: what one family chooses to do is linked to expectations of others and reinforced through social sanctions. Hence, a key strategy for promoting behavior change rests on coordinating change in norms and behavior among people who interact with one another. While progress has been made in developing methods for identifying social norms linked to FGM/C, much less is known about how to identify the relevant “people who interact.” This study identifies the social norms surrounding the practice of FGM/C in two regions in Senegal, and investigates the social networks in which these norms are embedded. The aim is to produce evidence to inform the design of targeted network interventions that can optimize behavior change and accelerate abandonment of FGM/C

Reference guide for data collection: Qualitative social network interviews

The purpose of this document is to guide researchers who plan to use qualitative social network methods drawing on our experiences implementing a qualitative study entitled, “The End of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting in Senegal: Tracing Social Networks, Investigating the Role of Gender and Intergenerational Influence.” Qualitative fieldwork was carried out in two contrasting settings in Senegal: 1) a region with a low prevalence of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) characterized by ethnic heterogeneity, and 2) a region with a high prevalence of FGM/C characterized by relative ethnic homogeneity. The goal of this research was to investigate the ways in which social interactions and social influence vary along dimensions including gender, class, and generation, and how they influence the dynamics of decisionmaking regarding FGM/C

Evaluation of the long-term impact of the TOSTAN programme on the abandonment of FGM/C and early marriage: Results from a qualitative study in Senegal

In 1998–99, a village empowerment program was implemented in the Thiès/Fatick and Kolda regions of Senegal by the nongovernmental organization Tostan, to mobilize communities to hold public declarations in support of abandoning harmful traditional practices, including female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child marriage. The information presented in this report indicates that many did end the practices following a public declaration, however, the lack of follow-up in the field and the absence of support mechanisms pose a large obstacle. Nevertheless, the program achieved significant results: knowledge of life skills resulting in positive changes and a shift in the perception of FGM/C moved everyone toward abandonment of this practice. Two main recommendations emerged from this retrospective assessment: 1) there is a need to provide support to these villages following the public declaration; and 2) there is a need to provide more support to families/communities that have abandoned the practice

Reference guide: Factorial focus group analysis methods for studying social norm change

The factorial focus group methodology described in this guide provides a powerful means of illuminating the social norms that uphold female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), and the ways in which meanings have at times become contested or rejected. The methods described here can be applied to the study of a wide range of behaviors influenced by social norms, such as early marriage, adoption of contraception, and more

Implementing STI/HIV prevention and care interventions for men who have sex with men in Senegal

Exploratory research conducted by the Horizons Program in 2002 revealed that men who have sex with men (MSM) in Dakar, Senegal, are particularly vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV. Further, the stigma and discrimination suffered by many MSM result in the concealment of sexual behaviors from health-care providers, making it difficult to receive appropriate services. Finally, there is a lack of HIV-prevention campaigns geared to this group. Key stakeholders in Dakar developed and implemented an intervention to meet the STI/HIV prevention needs of MSM and address prevailing stigma that effectively serves as a barrier to care. The intervention included peer education; diagnosis and treatment of STIs, and HIV counseling and testing; and education and sensitization of the media. The AIDS/STI Division within the Ministry of Health coordinated the intervention. The Horizons Program assessed the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and its outcomes on the target group. This brief summarizes findings from one of the first intervention studies to address the HIV and sexual health needs of MSM in Africa, and highlights both gains and limitations of the intervention strategies implemented

Meeting the sexual health needs of men who have sex with men in Senegal

A study conducted in Dakar, Senegal by researchers from the National AIDS Council, Cheikh Anta Diop University, and the Horizons program obtained information on the needs, behaviors, knowledge, and attitudes of men who have sex with men (MSM). This study offers important insights into the sexuality of MSM, their vulnerability to STI/HIV, and the role of violence and stigma in their lives. The results also highlight the lack of sexual health services and information available to cover the specific needs of MSM. The results of this study were summarized during a meeting held in April 2001 in Dakar and raised awareness of the importance for public health of developing non-stigmatizing interventions for MSM. The results led to the establishment of an NGO pool to develop and coordinate activities for MSM in Dakar

The Tostan program: Evaluation of a community based education program in Senegal

This operations research project evaluated the effect and impact of a basic education program, developed by TOSTAN, a nongovernmental organization based at Thiès, Senegal. The basic education program consisted of four modules: hygiene, problem-solving, women’s health, and human rights. Through these four themes, emphasis was placed on enabling the participants, who were mostly women, to analyze their own situation more effectively and thus find the best solutions for themselves. The GTZ Supra Regional Project for the Elimination of Female Genital Cutting funded implementation of the program in 90 villages in Kolda Region, and the Population Council’s Frontiers in Reproductive Health Program, with funding from USAID, used this opportunity to evaluate the program in 20 villages. The program was able to bring about a social change within the community and to mobilize the villagers for better environmental hygiene, and respect for human rights and improvement of health, as well as specifically reducing support for and practice of FGC

Women’s business? A social network study of the influence of men on decision-making regarding female genital mutilation/cutting in Senegal

There exist two dominant but conflicting views on the role of men in the perpetuation female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). One paints men as culprits, with FGM/C viewed as a manifestation of patriarchal oppression of women. An alternative portrays men as relatively uninvolved in a practice described as ‘women’s business’. These two perspectives lead to divergent predictions: if FGM/C underpins patriarchal structures, men should be expected to be ardent supporters of FGM/C as it bolsters their power and status; if FGM/C is a women’s affair, men should have little involvement. We test these predictions using data from a mixed-method study of norms and social networks in two regions of Senegal. Data show that men comprise 50% of core network members, although they exert influence in different ways in each study site. In South Senegal excision is upheld by men, as well as older women, through a constellation of norms that define FGM/C as prerequisite to marriage and social inclusion. In Central Senegal these gender norms have eroded, opening possibilities for abandonment of FGM/C, and men, particularly fathers, at times successfully advocate this change. This suggests that men can play an important role in ending FGM/C, and should be involved in intervention efforts