AFRICA – Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, champions for girls’ empowerment and education to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) from African communities.

The foundation aims to raise awareness about violence against females as well as empower girls and women through education to bring in a culture shift through media, art, and fashion.

FGM is a deep-rooted social norm for girls and women in many cultures in Africa, Middle East, Asia and Latin America that denies them their dignity, endangers their health and causes needless suffering.

Some experience serious complications that they are forced to live with the rest of their lives such as infertility, infections, stillborn babies and in some cases death.

The foundation commemorated the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM 2022 through the Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” and “Educating Linda” program.

“Merck Foundation Educating Linda” program helps young girls who are unprivileged but brilliant to continue their education thus providing an opportunity for such girls to pursue their dreams and reach their potential.

Whereas “Merck Foundation More Than a Mother” is a strong movement that aims to empower infertile women through access to information, education and change of mind-sets.

This campaign supports governments in defining policies to enhance access to regulated, effective and equitable fertility care solutions.

The United Nations (UN) estimates that 200 million women and girls around the world have undergone FGM with 80% of cases occurring in Africa alone and many girls who have undergone this practice are below 15 years of age.

Merck Foundation supports the UN’s cause of putting an end to the meaningless practice that harms women and girls physically and psychologically by 2030.

Education is power and educating girls is empowering them to make their own decisions in the future when they become strong women.

Consequently, access to information on health and economic opportunities will help them stand up for their rights, save their girls and prevent issues like female genital mutilation even if it is too late for them.

“Merck Foundation will soon be launching ‘Our Africa’ television program that is set to be the voice of the voiceless and break the silence about social and health issues in Africa thus create a culture shift together,” said Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation.

Merck has also launched interesting storybooks for children to teach them the values of respecting women and underlines the importance of girls’ education.

Moreover, Merck Foundation has released many inspiring songs on women empowerment supporting girls’ education.

“Fashion and art can contribute to sensitizing our communities about different issues such as ending FGM, ending child marriage, stopping GBV, breaking Infertility stigma and more,” added Dr Rasha Kelej.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is initiating a community-led movement to eliminate FGM in five Nigerian states where it is highly prevalent.

“The Movement for Good” will reach five million adolescent girls, boys, women, men, grandparents together with leaders, legislators, justice sector actors and state officials through an online pledge to ‘say no’ to FGM.

The movement will mobilize affected communities for concrete action at the household level to protect girls at risk of FGM.

It will also challenge misconceptions about FGM and break the silence around the practice together with communities.

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