The role of older women in contesting norms associated with female genital mutilation/cutting in Senegambia: A factorial focus group analysis.
Outcomes: Gender‑Based Violence
View SourceKey Social Norms Take-aways This study reveals that female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Senegambia is maintained through a constellation of intersecting social norms related to tradition, social hierarchy, and moral virtue, particularly among women. While often portrayed as custodians of harmful tradition, older women in Senegambia were found to be open to reassessing and renegotiating norms in response to changing realities, including health risks like HIV. Their cultural authority and influential roles in upholding or reshaping traditions position them as key agents for change. Interventions that engage older women and work with cultural variability may be more successful in fostering the abandonment of FGM/C without threatening cultural identity.
Objectives To explore the social norms that perpetuate FGM/C in Senegal and The Gambia, identify when and how these norms are being contested or transformed, and examine the role of older women in influencing this process.
Methods The study employed a factorial focus group design with 15 focus groups involving women from urban and rural areas of The Gambia and rural Senegal. Discussions were grouped by age (younger vs. older women) and residence, and analyzed using grounded theory methods to identify prevailing social norms, areas of contestation, and shifting beliefs about FGM/C.
Results Four overarching themes emerged: (1) pressure to conform, including moral norms and ostracization of uncut women; (2) tradition, especially reverence for ancestral customs; (3) upholding social hierarchy through respect for elders and “knowing the eye” (social refinement); and (4) health risks, particularly new concerns about HIV. While younger women were more conservative and constrained by social expectations, older women—contrary to common assumptions—often questioned the value of continuing FGM/C and expressed openness to change. Divergent views across groups showed variability in how norms are upheld or renegotiated.
Conclusions Rather than being passive preservers of tradition, older women in Senegambia play active roles in negotiating social norms. Their openness to change, especially when framed within cultural values and health concerns, makes them critical stakeholders in efforts to end FGM/C. Programs should leverage the authority of older women and the fluidity of cultural norms to drive sustainable change.
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