Dynamics of decision-making and change in the practice of female genital mutilation in the Gambia and Senegal
Social science policy brief
Introduction
Decades of programming efforts aimed at eliminating female genital mutilation (FGM) have yielded varied and, in general, limited results. Reviews point to limits in the understanding of the process of decision making and change in the practice of FGM, and call for theoretical models to understand better how and why interventions cause change.
This WHO-supported study was developed to improve the understanding of the dynamics of decision-making, and to assess the correspondence of these dynamics to theories of behaviour change. Improved theoretical, methodological and empirical insights can assist in the design, implementation, and evaluation of increasingly effective programmes aimed at ending FGM.