[Hadja Mariama Sow, CRSD Member, and Aly Kébé, Young Leader]
This first panel directly addressed religious leaders’ engagement in reproductive health issues and strategies for information, communication, and collaboration with communities to promote their well-being. By basing their arguments on the guidance found in religious texts, religious leaders, particularly those of the CRSD in Senegal and their peers in Guinea, Mali, and Mauritania, communicate through multimedia instruments, such as the video “Rien n’est tabou” (Nothing is taboo) and “Senegal ENGAGE: Religion and Family Health,” to reach more people. These tools also make it possible to reach a wide audience on the position of the Islamic religion, specifically on the use of modern contraception by married couples to space births and the harm caused by Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) to the health of young girls and mothers.
[Aliou Diop, President of AGD, and Awa Sedou Traoré]
The contribution of civil society in this discussion is significant. In this panel made up of civil society leaders, notably Aliou Diop, a journalist specializing in reproductive health, and Awa Sedou Traoré, their role of coordination and providing information was discussed. The AGD Association coordinates the task force established in Mauritania, which includes:
- Religious leaders.
- Young people (members of youth associations in their communities).
- Government officials.
- Technical and financial partners.
The task force identified the issues of FGM and the use of modern contraception to space births as very important in Mauritania, according to national statistics. AGD is leading the process of creating the multimedia production, “Leaders religieux et jeunes engagés pour l’abandon des mutilations génitales féminines et l’espacement des naissances,” which will help convey the key messages identified by the task force to both religious leaders and youth. Accordingly, the collaboration of women and men in the media who specialize in reproductive health is especially conducive to reaching more communities.