A/HRC/32/3 E/CN.6/2016/8 endorsing Generation SKILLZ activities in schools. This will allow the organization greater access to the school system and demonstrates that there is support for its gender programming at the highest level. In June, the Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Women visited the project and spoke to some of the young people involved. One young member of the SKILLZ Street team told her: “it’s built so much confidence in me, because I know what’s ahead for me. I feel proud of myself that I am part of the positive side, the safe side ”. By the end of 2015, almost 3,000 girls aged between 10 and 14 had graduated from the SKILLZ Street programme in Soweto, Alexandra and Khayelitsha. 34. Male violence is used to produce and reproduce the subordination of women and girls. It is therefore imperative to reach men and boys. Breakthrough, a non-governmental organization, is implementing an initiative in India to empower young people to understand their stake in ending violence against women. Operating in six Hindi-speaking states, the project places a special emphasis on engaging men and boys between the ages of 15 and 30. The campaign with the hashtag #Askingforit has reached some 3,000 people and more women and girls ar e breaking the silence about domestic violence. More than 1.2 million people engaged with the project online, through Facebook, in 2015, and more than 50,000 people did so through Twitter. 35. In the Gambia, the Gambia Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children is working to promote women ’s sexual and reproductive health and to advocate for a total ban on female genital mutilation/cutting, to be enforced by law. An estimated 76.3 per cent of women and 42 per cent of girls in the Gambia have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting. The Committee organized training for community leaders and workshops for women to empower them to claim their rights and take an active role in protecting other women, especially girls, from female genital mutilation/cutting and other harmful traditional practices. The community leaders took the bold step of making positive statements on the eradication of female genital mutilation/cutting in their communities. As one of those reached by the project commented: “I no longer believe that my granddaughter should be subjected to female genital mutilation/cutting. It is people who decide on cultural practices. People can agree on an issue and reach consensus to end any practices that are no longer be neficial to them”. 36. Concern Worldwide, in partnership with local non-governmental organizations and government agencies, is working to create a safe learning environment for girls in primary schools in the Nsanje district in Malawi. Assessments carried out in years 2 and 3 of the project showed marked improvements in attendance rates for girls in the 17 targeted schools. More than 7,000 girls aged between 10 and 19 have been reached so far. Open days involving interactive theatre performances have reach ed an estimated 40,000 people and the Tisenthe radio programme has an estimated national audience of 500,000. A major breakthrough was achieved with the passage of legislation increasing the legal age for marriage from 15 to 18; Concern Worldwide was a member of a consortium of civil society actors advocating for the legislation. Through local training and discussion sessions held in Nsanje, chiefs have been made aware of the new law and some 25 have now passed local by -laws enforcing the law within their communities. 15-22220 9/17