How do you combat the practice of female genital mutilation? Wadi has been conducting community-based projects for many years to support women and their reproductive health in the Kurdish regions of Northern Iraq. The aim is, not least, to change the position of women and their coexistence in society.
By Isis Eligibali, iz3w, 18.08.2025
(Seminar about FGM in a Kurdish village, Picture: Wadi e. V.)
Access to reproductive health information is so limited in northern Iraq that we at Wadi e.V have been going to villages, towns and cities for over 25 years providing basic information. Through these sessions we have privy to so much hidden pain in the lives of thousands of women. This 20 year journey has shown us the deep repression of women’s education, their bodily autonomy. Like the layers of the onion we have been able to see the layers of patriarchal oppression, the societal pressures, and the total control of womens bodies starting at childhood with for some girls the violent excision of the clitoris through Female Genital Mutilation1, and for others through many other forms of violence.
Control happens life long for women: through dress, then education, early marriage, coerced marriage, forced exit from education, no access to health or reproductive information, early pregnancy, no access to family planning, then no access to financial independence. The cumulative impact of this control and lack of access to any chance of a way out was something we needed to work on. We had to find a way forward, but in order to do that we had to face the realities, we cannot simply wish them away. As H.M a 49 year old women explained “we were six sisters, my father always threatened my mother to mutilate us, he refused to eat anything from our hands until we get mutilated (as un-mutilated women are considered dirty), so one day my mom mutilated us all together, I tried to run but my dad said he will kill me if I resist, no one will marry you. I was 8 years old back then”
But in these 25 years, we have not sat idly by, working in teams of two, women social workers, nurses, midwives, and doctors have been combing the northern Iraqi landscape, engaging, sharing, educating, talking and listening to women. Not just listening but building programs that meet their needs, and support them in charting a new path for themselves and their daughters.
A more liberal climate
It was not easy to undo a lifetime of being brought up in a very patriarchal community, where your whole life you were expected to put others (mostly men) first. Many women shared with us their feeling of isolation, and hopelessness. The only reason we are able to do this work at all is due to the unique political climate that began after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003; in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq the liberation from the oppressive yolk of dictatorship and being an oppressed minority also allowed for a more liberal climate for social change, in comparison to other countries in the region that is. In conjunction with the seminars related to women’s health we also taught classes that provided economic independence such as sewing, literacy, hairdressing, and other relevant marketable skills.
The other prong on this forked approach was to work with men, to first engage with them, and then to share non-violent communication techniques as well as create long-term social change on the position of women in their communities. These issues are all interconnected and only working on one small angle would not be effective or meaningful. After reflecting on their experiences or experiences of women they know, the teams talk about FGM into the larger context of violence against women and girls. The idea that FGM is a deep form of domestic and sexual violence against girls and not a requirement of religion is a big part of connecting with participants on why this practice needs to end.
Misinformation and fear
There are so many stereotypes that are culturally associated with FGM that it really is important to engage with each one and discuss it. Some of the most common arguments that persist in favor of the practice are that women who are un-mutilated are ‘unclean, unattractive and improper’ there were many variations in the details of the arguments but those were the uniting themes.
Women also expressed fears that no one would marry their daughters if they were not mutilated, but on the other side of the same coin, many other women who were mutilated expressed fears that their husbands would get second wives who were not mutilated as they suffered from sexual issues due to their mutilation.
The sessions on women’s health were where we came into contact with a pressing need – to find a way to provide support for women who have been mutilated.
These discussions continue to show the complexity of the issue, and the importance of addressing all GBV of which FGM is one form. The recurring themes of misinformation and fears were used as continuing discussion points by the teams over the course of the twelve months of the project. They also used films, documentaries and interviews to explain why these stereotypes were not true.
The sessions on women’s health were where we came into contact with a pressing need – to find a way to provide support for women who have been mutilated – to give them access not only to the latest medical techniques or psychosocial support but also to give them a chance to rebuild. One participant shared with us that “I used to think I’m the only one who’s mutilated, and that there’s something wrong with me for not having any sexual desires. I felt ashamed and guilty”.
Workíng with survivors
We kept working with victims/surviros of FGM and we at Wadi received multiple trainings by trauma specialists and started charting a new potential path to create a space where women can reclaim a sense of self, a sense of power, and a sense of community. In the beginning this work was really clandestine and these intimate sessions were held with the support of a therapist and operated on similar principles to Alcoholics Anonymous, where everything shared was confidential and the nature of the sessions was also not advertised. Although this approach began in 2019 in Iraqi Kurdistan, there has been some work in diaspora communities in Europe and communities in Africa. Wadi is working to build effective strategies from best practices used in those communities.
These groundbreaking sessions evolved into a transformative pilot project called “Living with FGM”. This project still holds true to its clandestine roots, FGM is still a fraught subject and the safety or our participants and out teams is paramount. A dedicated cadre of social workers received intensive, specialized training from sexual trauma specialists, experts in regaining sexual function after FGM, sexual health specialists, and other professionals providing crucial psychosocial support.
Regions ended FGM
The project was strategically implemented in areas where FGM is now largely no longer practiced, specifically in Halabja and Garmyan. Participants, primarily women, were those who had previously attended Wadi’s FGM awareness programs and proactively sought further assistance, demonstrating their readiness for deeper engagement. A delicate balance was maintained throughout the project: addressing the very real and immediate needs of women living with the consequences of FGM, while simultaneously ensuring that our efforts did not, in any way, appear to condone the practice or inadvertently send the dangerous message that ‘it’s not that bad if you mutilate your daughters because there are coping strategies available.’ Our unwavering stance against FGM remained paramount.
The sessions themselves were, as anticipated, profoundly challenging. Participants arrived with so much to unpack – years of living with physical and emotional pain, deeply ingrained anger towards their mothers for inflicting this brutal practice upon them, and often, lingering resentment towards their husbands for the painful or unsatisfying sexual lives they endured as a result of FGM. Yet, within this shared vulnerability, a remarkable process of healing began to unfold.
Hope and Transformation
Despite the painful journey, these sessions became powerful places for hope and transformation. As women shared their stories, a lightbulb moment happened: they were not alone. This shared experience began to chip away at the isolation and shame. Participants saw that their individual pain was part of a larger, systemic issue, not a personal failing. This understanding was the first step toward reclaiming their bodily autonomy and discussing the societal norms that had dictated their lives.
By having this program in villages where FGM is now largely being abandoned, we’re seeing the tangible results of years of awareness programs. Crucially we have never stopped holding awareness seminars to combat FGM all over the Kurdish region of Iraq. But this shift isn’t just about the absence of a harmful practice; it’s about a fundamental change in social perception and practice. Communities are beginning to understand the devastating impact of FGM on women’s physical and psychological well-being, and this understanding is slowly but surely translating into a new reality for younger generations.
The progress is undeniable, yet the path ahead remains long.
“Since I heard about these things, I feel much better. I felt sorry for myself and my husband was unhappy with me, but after I learned that I’m not the only one and that there is hope for mutilated women like me. I talked to my husband about it and he’s much more helpful during sex. I advise everyone to talk about their sexual issues shamelessly, there is no shame in not knowing”. – KW 39 year old woman participant.
The progress is undeniable, yet the path ahead remains long. The deep-seated patriarchal structures and cultural traditions that have perpetuated practices like FGM will not vanish overnight. And as one practice dwindles we are not seeing rising rates of forced child marriage as the economic situation becomes more difficult in rural areas.
However, the resilience and courage of the women participating in these sessions, coupled with the commitment of our teams, offer a compelling vision for the future. By continuing to provide safe spaces for healing, education, and empowerment, we’re not just treating the symptoms of oppression; we’re actively working to dismantle its very foundations, one conversation, one shared story, and one empowered woman at a time. The quiet groundswell is well underway, whispered in confidant sessions and echoed in changing community norms.
This article was first published in German in iz3w September/October 2025
Wadi 
