ANNOUNCEMENT: Molly Melching to Speak at FGC Abandonment Event with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Feb 16



Holding a banner that reads, "We can fully abandon FGC
 in Senegal," Tostan CEP participants proudly marched
 to a public declarationfor FGC abandonment in May 2011.



Invited by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Tostan Founder Molly Melching will speak at a high-level panel discussion commemorating International FGC Abandonment Day this Thursday, February 16th, at the U.S. Department of State.

The event will be hosted by Secretary Clinton and moderated by Ambassador Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues. The panel will also feature Imam Magid, All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS Center), Thomas von der Osten-Sacken, General Manager for Crisis Assistance and Development Co-operation (WADI) in Germany, Nafissatou J. Diop, Director of the United Nations Population Fund and United Nations International Children’s Fund Joint Programme on FGM/C, and Zeinab Eyega, Executive Director of the Sauti Yetu Center for African Women. 

Follow @Tostan on Twitter for live updates from the event beginning at 1:00pm EST on the 16th. Also, live streaming of the event is available here.   

For additional information, click here to see the official event announcement.   

February 6: Tostan Celebrates International FGC Abandonment Day

In eight countries where female genital cutting (FGC) is commonly practiced, Tostan partners with communities to implement an empowering human rights-based education program that has resulted in over 5,000 communities having declared abandonment of FGC. Senegal is on track for complete FGC abandonment by 2015 and the movement has taken root in seven additional countries. 

This February 6th, join with the communities who have abandoned female genital cutting and share the story of their success with your friends and family.
  
To read and share stories of success, click the links below.
  
New York Times: Senegal Curbs Bloody Rite for Girls and Women

The Independent: Victory in sight for revolution over female genital mutilation        
FIGO: Eradication of female genital mutilation "a matter of resources"