VZCZCXYZ0011
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRY #0331/01 1831154
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY ADXOAE35FD MSI5791 611)
R 011154Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2709
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC

UNCLAS CONAKRY 000331 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY - ADDED SENSITIVE CAPTION 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: EMBASSY HOSTS HUMAN RIGHTS IN-REACH ON FEMALE GENITAL 
MUTILATION 
 
¶1. (U) SUMMARY: On June 26, the Embassy held the first of a series 
of planned Human Rights In-Reaches intended to educate American and 
locally employed staff (LES) about critical human rights issues in 
Guinea. This first program focused on combating Female Genital 
Mutilation (FGM), a practice that affects an estimated 96% of the 
female population in Guinea. A pre-program survey was distributed to 
Embassy participants prior to the event in order to gather a 
baseline of understanding of employee attitudes towards human rights 
in Guinea and FGM. END SUMMARY 
 
¶2. (U) Most Embassy efforts on human rights consist of out-reach to 
government and non-government actors throughout Guinea.  In 
discussing human rights with our own staff, however, we realized 
that many of our own employees do not have a solid understanding of 
human rights issues, nor of why the USG advocates so strongly for 
better protection of those rights.  In order to address this 
problem, we decided to reach out to our own staff in order to raise 
awareness on critical human rights issues in Guinea.  Support for 
and understanding of fundamental human rights must start at home 
with both American and local staff. For the message to have maximum 
impact, we are utilizing local speakers and local NGOs to deliver 
the programs. 
 
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FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION 
------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) For the first Human Rights In-Reach on Female Genital 
Mutilation (FGM), Embassy invited Dr. Morrissanda Kouyate, 
Operations Director of Inter-African Committee and former director 
of CPTAFE, an organization that has received funding from USAID 
Guinea to combat FGM. Dr. Kouyate's presentation focused on: 1) 
graphic depictions of the different types of FGM; 2) discussion of 
the health consequences of FGM; 3) debunking the social, religious, 
and cultural rationale for FGM; and 4) discussion of the prevalence 
of FGM in Guinea. Embassy included three local staff, who are 
passionately opposed to FGM, in the program preparations.  Local 
staff also participated as presenters in the event, introducing the 
speaker and reading a passage accounting a Guinean woman's own 
excision. 
 
¶4. (SBU) A survey was distributed at the beginning of the program to 
all participants, including Americans and LES, to gather a baseline 
understanding of and attitude towards human rights and Female 
Genital Mutilation.  A total of 230 surveys were completed, 41 from 
women and 188 from men. Of the total surveys, 28 were completed by 
American staff and 202 by LES. When asked to comment on whether 
various human rights issues were a problem in Guinea, the top five 
human rights concerns amongst participants were 1) Female Genital 
Mutilation, 2) Forced Early Marriage of Girls, 3) Illegal Prison 
Detentions, 4) Rape and Sexual Violence, and 5) Torture in Detention 
Centers. Furthermore, 81% of participants said that the Guinean 
Government did not protect human rights and 75% did not think the 
people of Guinean understood human rights. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Participants were then questioned on their knowledge of 
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). When asked about the rate of FGM in 
Guinea, 61% of participants knew the rate was "More than 75%." The 
rate of FGM was estimated at 96% in Guinea according to a 2005 
survey. Only 50% of the participants knew that FGM is illegal in 
Guinea.  When LES women were asked whether they thought FGM would 
have an impact on one's chances of getting married, 33% said it 
would increase one's prospects, 26% said it would decrease one's 
prospects, and 41% said it would have no impact. Participants were 
also asked how many people they knew that were impacted by this 
practice, 21% said zero to five people, 20% said between five and 20 
people, and 59% said more than 20 people. 
 
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REACTIONS 
--------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Dr. Kouyate led discussions asking Embassy staff about 
their reaction to his presentation and thoughts on how to combat FGM 
in Guinea. During this time, American and local staff shared 
personal stories, expressed their shock at the new information, and 
acknowledged their previous lack of understanding of FGM. At the 
beginning of the presentation, Dr. Kouyate had asked the audience 
how many people had sent their daughters to be excised.  Around 40% 
of the local staff raised their hands openly. At the end of the 
presentation, many who had admitted to have their daughters 
participate in this practice claimed "they had no idea of what had 
actually happened.  It was women's business." Many local staff 
offered ideas of how to combat the practice, saying emphatically 
that this presentation needs to be given to their families and to 
people in their villages to educate them on FGM.  After the event, 
Embassy received overwhelmingly positive reactions from Americans 
and local staff. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) A female staff member stood up during the discussion and 
emotionally related how she had chosen to be ostracized from her 
family for eight years in order to protect her two daughters from 
FGM.  A number of men publicly thanked the Embassy for the 
presentation, saying that they never knew what FGM actually 
involved, and they appreciated the opportunity to speak frankly 
about it.  These same comments were later echoed to supervisors 
throughout the building.  One clearly appalled staff member told his 
supervisor after the presentation that he has three daughters of his 
own, and he is absolutely committed to ensuring that they do not 
become victims of FGM. 
 
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COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶8. (SBU) Many local staff were obviously emotionally moved by the 
presentation. Both men and women participants occasionally left the 
room for a few minutes, clearly shocked, and at times uncomfortable 
with the presentation, which is the same type of presentation made 
out in the villages with USAID support. It was clear that the 
in-reach succeeded in reaching a number of local staff who expressed 
genuine concern and disgust for FGM, many of them being the same 
individuals who had raised their hands when asked if their daughters 
had been excised.  Although some attitudes were significantly 
changed, other LES likely remain committed to the practice for 
cultural and religious reasons.  This in-reach is an important 
initial step in educating our staff about our work on human rights. 
Embassy hopes that as these in-reaches continue over the coming 
months, covering such topics as forced early marriages, HIV/AIDS 
discrimination, domestic violence, etc, our own staff will 
demonstrate increased understanding and advocacy for better 
protection of fundamental human rights in Guinea.  To be effective 
outside the building, we must start at home.  END COMMENT. 
 
CARTER