FIG | Female Genital Schistosomiasis Integration Group
Female genital schistosomiasis
Female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) is a neglected disease affecting millions of girls and women in Africa with limited access to safe, clean water. This disease can greatly increase the risk of HIV and cervical cancer, and can cause infertility and miscarriage.
FGS is caused by a parasitic infection that is easily treated and preventable. But it is often unrecognised and misdiagnosed as a sexually transmitted infection or cervical cancer. Many women and girls with FGS are being given the wrong treatment or undergoing unnecessary clinical procedures for their condition. This can lead to poor treatment outcomes, unnecessary repeat visits and costs, and a loss of trust in healthcare services. When misdiagnosed as a sexually-transmitted disease, this can also lead to stigma, marginalisation, isolation and gender-based violence.
We must act NOW to change this. Let’s seize this opportunity to improve healthcare for women and girls together!
The FGS Integration Group
The FGS Integration Group [FIG] is an innovative coalition of organisations that are working to tackle the neglected issue of FGS. Our aim is to galvanise joint action across the sexual and reproductive health and rights, HIV, HPV/cervical cancer, neglected tropical disease and WASH sectors.
We are raising awareness of FGS with the aim of improving diagnosis, treatment and prevention through sustainable integration of FGS into sexual and reproductive health and rights and neglected tropical disease programmes at scale. We believe this is the only way to deliver comprehensive, equitable, quality health services for women and girls.
Our objectives
We aim to:
- Increase awareness of FGS and build understanding about its devastating impact on women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights – particularly in communities in endemic areas and among healthcare workers.
- Promote training for health professionals in sub-Saharan Africa to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment of FGS.
- Support the integration of FGS diagnostic, prevention and treatment services into sexual and reproductive health services and into policies and programmes for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education and gender.
- Reduce the stigma and discrimination women and girls with FGS experience by increasing awareness of the condition and access to comprehensive, good-quality information about sex and sexuality among healthcare workers and communities.
- Mobilise resources, political will and commitment to introduce and scale up the activities needed to address FGS.
Addressing FGS will take us a step closer to ensuring all women and girls – including those most marginalised – can access comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights services, leaving no-one behind. The benefits stretch far beyond sexual and reproductive health. FGS integration is a powerful opportunity to demonstrate that cross-sector coordination results in systems efficiencies, high quality care, universal healthcare, and resilient and sustainable health systems for women and girls.
Tackling FGS will ultimately bring about improved economic and educational opportunities, improved access to water and sanitation, and increased gender equality.
Would you like to know more about FGS?
- We’ve provided answers to some frequently asked questions about the condition in this downloadable guide.
- You can also read our FGS policy brief, to find out how different groups such as policymakers and international donors can help to address FGS.
Want to join us in tackling FGS?
- Find out how you can get involved with the work of FIG, by contacting us at fgs [dot] integration [at] gmail [dot] com">fgs [dot] integration [at] gmail [dot] com.
- You can also stay up to date with our work by signing up to the FIG mailing list.
- Lastly, you can help us spread the word about FGS and about FIG by using our social media kit.
