Call for Applications : African Union Commission – Saleema Youth Victorious Ambassadors (SYVA)

Application Deadline: December 20th 2019

The African Union Commission, through the Department of Social Affairs, is developing a Continental Initiative aiming at eliminating Female Genital Mutilation in Africa by 2030 – The Saleema Initiative is calling for young people to engage as Saleema Youth Victorious Ambassadors.

This Saleema Initiative aims at changing the negative social norms which Female Genital Mutilation is rooted in, by adopting a holistic approach that considers this harmful practice a result of a given social, political, economic and anthropological context. The Commission believes that it is only through enhancing the cognitive social capital of communities as a whole, and community members individually, that Female Genital Mutilation will be abandoned. 

The Saleema Initiative’s communication campaign will thus focus on working at grassroots level, engaging communities, young people and women to take an active part in the dialogue that will shape the Saleema Campaign. 

The Concept of Saleema

This approach aims to accelerate actions that ensure every African girl can grow to maturity in her natural and original form: complete, unharmed, saleema.

It is based on the premise that FGM is rooted in socio-cultural norms and contexts and therefore the power to abandon the practice resides with families and communities. The focus is not on what communities ‘need to give up’ but rather on “what they stand to gain by changing”. Only people-driven change can effectively end the practice.

A distinctive feature is the use of strong and positive communication techniques and approaches, affirming important cultural values, while building aspiration for change, and empowering communities to create an environment conducive to a positive decision making process that will lead to a cultural shift regarding this harmful practice. 

Requirements:

In order to be one of the 6 future Saleema Youth Victorious Ambassadors you must be:

• Between 18 and 35 years old
• Female
• Willing to express yourself publically on the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation
• Able to send  your content on the medium of your choice: video, article, poetry, song, painting, drawing etc 
• Able to send  your application between by 10th of December 2019 by filling this form 
• Willing to travel to represent the Saleema Initiative
• By sending applications candidates must be aware that they accept the content to become property of the Saleema Initiative and can be used by the African Union and its partners in the context of events, promotion on any media with the assurance that credit will always be given to the author.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the African Union Commission – Saleema Youth Victorious Ambassadors