Category: 08/14

On Saturday, August 15, 2015, Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation joined Inter-African Committee USA (IAC-USA) in the first camp for children against female genital mutilation. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the organization’s U.S. office hosted the camp where both girls and boys attended with their parents in Germantown, Maryland.

Speaking to the children was the President and Founder of Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation, Angela Peabody. She told the children, “You are all American citizens because you were born here. Your parents are from other countries but you are Americans so if anyone threatens you to make you do something that you do not know about, you need to know that you are protected by the laws of America. FGM is illegal in the United States, and if anyone tries to do it to you, they will be arrested and sent to jail.”

The President of IAC-USA stated, “Facts have proven that during summer time or when school is closed, most of the harmful practices take place. This summer, to further educate our children about harmful practices, IAC- USA has organized this one day summer camp, “Vacances Sans Excision”” 

The children ranged in ages from 20 months old to 17 years old. They learned how to beat the drums, jump hopscotch, dance, sing, do artwork, play sports and they learned both American and African history. At the end of the event, the children were asked what they had learned from the camp. One of the boys said he learned that FGM is wrong, while another equated the work against FGM to what Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King did. According to their answers, the message had reached the children, and they had soaked it up like sponges.

The Global Woman Center has established a special network of OB-GYNs in the Washington, D.C. area. The center will refer women that are survivors of female genital mutilation (FGM) to physicians in their special network for proper check-ups and other gynecological care. The center is also working toward partnering with the health insurance providers that are accepted by the network physicians. Joining the network of OB-GYNs are physicians from Arlington, Manassas and Silver Spring.

This Saturday, August 22, 2015 the Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation will open the second location of the Global Woman Center within two months. The second location is in South Arlington, Virginia a block from Columbia Pike. On Saturday, June 27, 2015, the organization opened the first location in Washington, D.C.

The Global Woman Center was established especially to offer support for survivors and at-risk girls of female genital mutilation (FGM). The purpose of the center is to create a place where women and girls who have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) are welcomed in the Washington, D.C. area; where prevention and rehabilitation of the practice of FGM takes place; where they can feel safe, and respected. The organization saw the need for a Virginia location, after the release of high statistics of at-risk girls and survivors in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Meanwhile, the Washington, D.C. location will service Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is partnering with International Emergency and Development Aid (IEDA) Relief in the Arlington Center. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, IEDA Relief is an international non-governmental organization specializing in international development and humanitarian assistance. In addition to their Arlington office, IEDA Relief also maintains other regional offices in Senegal, Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Mali and the Philippines. Both Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. and IEDA are excited about the collaboration in their humanitarian efforts.

The rehabilitative program at the center includes post-FGM counseling, proper OB-GYN referrals for check-ups and referrals for restorative surgeries for the survivors.  The surgery will help survivors of FGM have regular OB-GYN check-ups without embarrassment, have normal childbirth without the risk of infant and maternal mortalities, and to live without the physical genital pain they encounter with every monthly cycle, with each urination and sexual encounter.  The center has created a network of special OB-GYNs to offer proper care for the survivors. Many of the women live with the psychological consequences in post-FGM life.

The preventive program at the center involves training of school teachers, school counselors, school nurses, parents and members of law enforcement, as well as an outreach educational campaign to communities.  Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation believes that if everyone is educated and informed fully on this practice, the campaign to end FGM will be successful.  Education is the key to ending FGM throughout the world. 

If you are a survivor of FGM and need to talk with someone about your experience, or if you know a survivor, please contact the Global Woman Center to set up an appointment for consultation. If you suspect that a girl is at risk of undergoing FGM, contact the Global Woman Center or law enforcement authorities.

The Washington, D.C. center location is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 11:00am until 12:30pm. Dr. Chelsia Bhatti is available those days and times to meet with you. The Arlington, Virginia center location will open Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:00am until 3:00pm.

It is only 10 weeks away from October 31st when we will once again assemble on the Washington National Mall to Walk to End FGM! We have great exciting plans for this year’s walk-a-thon so get in on the fun and register.

• Register as a walker
• Form a team and invite others to join your team
• Join a team that has already been formed
• Register as a volunteer
• Make a donation (if you are unable to attend)
• Sponsor a team or an individual walker (contact us for sponsorship packages)
• Purchase a Sponsor Display Table (contact us for details)

Visit www.globalwomanpeacefoundation.org and make your choice from the options above. We look forward to seeing you there! All proceeds from the walk-a-thon will benefit the Global Woman Center, which helps FGM survivors have their restorative surgeries and have proper OB-GYN check-ups. Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. As such, your contributions are tax deductible to the maximum extent required by law.