The REPLACE Approach: supporting Communities to end FGM in the EU. A Toolkit

The REPLACE Approach is an innovative and effective approach to ending FGM in the EU. It was conceived in 2009 and has received two Daphne III action grants (REPLACE1: JLS/2008/DAP3/AG/1193-3DCE03118760084; REPLACE2: JUST/2012/DAP/AG/3273). Together with REPLACE partners (FORWARD (UK); FSAN (Netherlands); CESIE (Italy); APF (Portugal); Gabinet d'Estudis Socials (Spain)) and over a period of five years, the REPLACE Approach has been developed, trialled, improved, implemented and evaluated with African FGM affected communities living in the EU including those from: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Somalia and Sudan. The REPLACE Approach is presented in this Toolkit, with the accompanying REPLACE Community Handbook giving practical guidance on how to implement the REPLACE Approach. This Toolkit presents the REPLACE Approach which has been developed with the goal of ending FGM in the EU. It is a bottom-up approach that empowers communities and puts them at the centre of social norm transformation using behavioural change theory. It is thus aimed at those within FGM affected communities or those working with these communities, whose goal is to end FGM in the EU. It is also relevant to policy makers who aim to end FGM; since the success of the REPLACE Approach is enhanced by political support.