Enhancing the co-ordinating capacity of FGM/C State Technical Committee.

1. Welcome to today’s edition of our weekly #endcuttinggirls chat. We do this every Thurs. To campaign to end FGM/C.
2. I will be doing this today with my distinguished partner & friend @mbamonyii. #endcuttinggirls advocate the world over will join us too.
3. We’ll use the first 80 (5-6:20pm) mins to expound our topic, while the last 40 mins will be used to entertain questions #endcuttinggirls
4. For Introduction to FGM/C which stands for Female Genital Mutilation and cutting, @mbamonyii will take you on
5. State Technical Committee is a state based committee instituted to comprise Stakeholders from MDAs, CSOs etc #endcuttinggirls
6. State Technical Committee is available in every State for strengthening existing intersectoral co-ordination mechanism #endcuttinggirls
7. FGM/C abandonment activities should not just be haphazardly done at State level. STC is the hub #endcuttinggirls

27. Not much will be achieved if everyone is programming at State level without the STC to harmonise& coordinate efforts at #endcuttinggirls
28. STC according to the National Policy on FGM/C abandonment comprises key MDAs, NGOs, law enforcement etc #endcuttinggirls
29. The Key MDAs includes State Ministries of Education, Health, Women Affairs, Justice etc all coming together to #endcuttinggirls
30. STC in all states should meet at least quarterly to plan, strategize and review activities of members on #endcutinggirls
31. STC is pivotal to all activities, stakeholders and role-players in #endcuttinggirls. The function includes:
32. STC Function 1: Being the rallying point of every FGM/C abandonment effort at the LG and State Level #endcuttinggirls
33. STC Function 2 #endcuttinggirls: Prompt & appropriate response to FGM/C related events, incidences in the State.
34. STC Function 3 #endcuttinggirls: Rallying support, actions & intervention to sudden occurrences & concerns about FGM/C at State level.
35. STC Function 4 #endcuttinggirls: Targeted advocacy to key stakeholders towards #endcuttinggirls
36. STC Function 5 #endcuttinggirls: Capacity building of sectoral players including healthcare providers on prevention & Mgt of FGM/C
37. STC Function 6 #endcuttinggirls: Make special effort to end medicalization by working wt regulatory bodies & enforcement agencies.
38. STC Function 7 #endcuttinggirls: Should conduct planning & co-ordination meetings & joint programmes for FGM elimination at intervals.
39. STC Function 8 #endcuttinggirls: evidence based advocacy to Govt at all arms to allocate resources for FGM/C elimination.
40. STC Function 9 #endcuttinggirls: Periodic Advocacy/sensitization meeting/visit with media institution and entertainment industry
41. STC Function 10 #endcuttinggirls: strategic advocacy meeting for private sector org. for funding of FGM elimination programmes.
42. One challenge facing FGM/C abandonment efforts is medicalization – wn health worker becomes practitioners of FGM/C #endcuttinggirls
43. The State Technical Committee in each State must address Medicalization of FGM/C to achieve #endcuttinggirls
44. The STC can work through the State Ministry of Health by putting on a structure to eliminate Medicalization #endcuttinggirls
45. The STC can also work through medical Professionals association e.g. NMA, NANNM etc. These bodies can #endcuttingirls
46. The STC must ensure zero tolerance to Medicalization in all states to #endcuttinggirls
47. Nurses, CHEWs, ward maids and all medical workers both serving and retired must be trained and monitored to #endcuttinggirls
48. FGM/C champions can be selected among health workers to stem the tide of medicalization #endcuttinggirls
49. With this we have explained the concept of State Technical Committee as a proven strategy to #endcuttinggirls
50. Can we entertain questions on #endcuttinggirls for today’s chat

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