Project “Support to Djibutian programmes for women's health”

NIHMP started in 2012 a three-years project financed by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Project actions aim at supporting the policies of the Government of Djibouti towards promoting reproductive and mother and child health.
Objective of the project is to combat poverty-related diseases in Djibouti, putting emphasis on women's health. Improving the health of women from Djibouti and neighbouring countries, particularly Somalia, should facilitate social and economic development.
NIHMP is committed to increasing professional skills of public health workers on reproductive and mother and child health, and on the control of FGM. It organises training, information, educational, communication and research activities in cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Djibouti and other Institutions.
Project actions are in the framework of agreements between the Ministry of Health of Djibouti, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Directorate General for Development Cooperation - and involve local and international Actors, namely: Ministries involved in the promotion of women's health and rights (Ministry for the promotion of Women, Ministry of Religious Affairs), organisations working on reproductive and mother and child health (National Union of Djiboutian Women, UNICEF, UNFPA), and the University of Djibouti. Project activities are concentrated in the area of Djibouti City and in three medical centres (Houssina, Dar el Hanan and Balbala Hospital) nevertheless, training and updating of health care professionals, research, community information and awareness raising activities affect the whole country. Italian professionals (paediatricians, gynaecologists, anatomo-pathologists, anaesthetists, epidemiologists and anthropologists) cooperate with technical and administrative local workers for the following objectives:

1. Training/professional refresher courses for public health professionals aimed at improving their knowledge on the identification and treatment of complications of FGM, management of foetal distress and neonatal intensive care, methods for vaginal cytological examination.
2. Research activities at the national level aimed at improving knowledge on FGM epidemiology and prevalence and on obstetrical, gynaecological and other consequences of the practice. Conduction of a three-year qualitative anthropological study aimed at studying social and cultural aspects of FGM in rural and urban areas of the country.
3. Information, education and communication activities in partnership with Ministries and civil society organisations aimed at improving the knowledge of the local community about reproductive health and consequences of FGM. General objective of the action is to promote women’s reproductive health, their right to physical integrity and the abandon of FGM.
4. Organisation of conferences, encouragement of experience exchange on project themes at the regional level, production of multimedia materials for spreading information, in Djibouti and in Italy, about Djiboutian policies against FGM and project activities.