Minnesota Female Genital Cutting Prevention and Outreach Grant Program

MDH will provide one-time grants to organizations with cultural competence in Minnesota communities that are impacted by female genital cutting (FGC), supporting community-led efforts to educate and inform communities of the health risks and emotional trauma inflicted by FGC practices and the criminal penalties associated with FGC.

Goals

The goals of this funding are to achieve:

1. Greater awareness among community members of the health risks and emotional trauma associated with FGC
2. Greater awareness among community members of the criminal penalties associated with FGC
3. More open communication about FGC in Minnesota communities
4. Stronger commitment among community members to protecting girls and women in their families and communities from FGC

Grant Recipients

• African Immigrants Community Services (in partnership with YIELD)
  Grant activities: Community forums with East African communities in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota. Youth workshops and peer education. TV, radio and social media, including a youth video contest.

• East African Health Project
  Grant activities: Presentations by Team Trio (healthcare, legal and religious experts) to East African communities in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota. TV, radio and conference calls.

• Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota
  Grant activities: Intergenerational workshops with primarily West African communities in the Twin Cities. Peer education among adults in West African and other communities. Curriculum and educational resource development for ongoing use.

• WellShare International
  Grant activities: Islamic faith leader dialogues. Somali community leader dialogues. One-to-one and small-group education with Somali women. Educational resource creation and dissemination.