Family and Reproductive Rights Education Program

What is FARREP?

The Family and Reproductive Rights Education Program (FARREP) is a Victorian government initiative launched in 1998 to work towards preventing female genital cutting (FGC) or ‘circumcision’.

FGC refers to all procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to female genital organs for non-medical reasons, including partial or total removal of the external female genitalia.

It is estimated that more than 200 million girls and women alive today have been impacted by FGC in over 30 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, where FGC practice is concentrated. FGC can cause:

• Severe bleeding
• Problems urinating
• Cysts and Infections
• Childbirth complications.

What does the program offer?

FARREP provides a free and confidential service to Victorian community members who migrated from countries where FGC is traditionally practiced.

The team can also provide cultural guidance and secondary support to cohealth practitioners and external health professionals in relation to women and girls with FGC and their families.

The FARREP team:

• supports and advocate for girls and women who arrived from FGC-traditionally practiced countries to get the best care and information about their health.
• refer women to other services they might need in cohealth or the wider community.
• works with the communities and their families to provide information about FGC and the law in Australia for the prevention of FGC on related sexual and reproductive health and women’s health issues.
• provides community-wide education about all aspects of the FGC practice and build the capacity of the communities to facilitate a supportive community environment that strengthens the protective factors within the community.
• refers communities to appropriate health and social-related services.
• Provide capacity development for health practitioners to work and communicate with the communities in a culturally sensitive manner to build trust and encourage access to FGC-related sexual reproductive health services.
• builds collaboration and partnership with health practitioners with the aim to improve health and well-being outcomes for the individuals impacted by FGC and their families.

The cohealth’s FARREP team are experienced and trained community development workers who speak one or more languages of communities likely impacted by FGC. To access the FARREP program, please contact the FARREP team:

Maria Ibrahim

Maria.ibrahim@cohealth.org.au

0402 690 173

Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday (9:00 am-5:00 pm)

Nagat Abdalla

Nagat.abdalla@cohealth.org.au

0473 612 823

Tuesday and Thursday (9:00 am-5:00 pm)

Abdi Moalin

Abdi.moalin@cohealth.org.au

0409 941 859

Tuesday and Thursday (9:00 am-5:00 pm)

For more information on some of the work being done or to learn more about how FARREP can support you, get in touch with the FARREP team.

Phone: 9448 5528

Email: FARREP@cohealth.org.au.