FabAfriq Magazine. Special Edition FGM 2022

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Publisher’s note

Executive Director of DefendDefenders Hassan Shire - Chairperson of the AfricanDefenders

respective roles could be further enhanced.

This included in-country support and earmarked resources to NHRIs to effectively and efficiently contribute to ensuring the accountability of states and non-state actors on FGM prevention and its elimination. The implementation of the International Agenda for the Elimination of FGM, as embodied in HRC 44/16, is therefore politically best suited within the vision and mandate of AfricanDefenders and DefendDefenders, building from the Kampala Plan of Action and our engagement with the African Union’s African Governance Architecture (AGA) in advancing justice, freedom and equality for human rights defenders.

What are some of the actions your Organisation is considering or acted after the NHRIs and CSOs round table on HRC 44/16, and the Primer for NHRIs during the 16 days of Activism to eliminate FGM? You can include partnerships with other States and Non- States Actors in preventing FGM.

As one of the leading Organisations in the promotion of human rights actions on the elimination of FGM, we’d like you to share your political insight on the prevention and elimination of FGM in general and HRC 44/16, and the Primer for NHRIs to conduct a public inquiry on the prevention of FGM?

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he call by the UN HRC to amplify multi- sectoral actions for the prevention and elimination of FGM via the HRC 44/16 and previous iterations is important to the work of AfricanDefenders and DefendDefenders. I am confident that the call for zero tolerance of FGM is being heard around the

world. In 2019, we convened African Human Rights Defenders (HRDs), NHRIs, CSOs and representatives of human rights special mechanisms in Zanzibar, Tanzania to deliberate on policies that can contribute to a safe and enabling environment for HRDs in Africa. This resulted in the adoption of the Kampala Plan of Action for Human Rights Defenders (KAPA +10), which guides our continental, regional, and national engagements to further promote and protect the rights of Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs) who are addressing violations against women and girls on the continent,

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including FGM. Our engagement with NHRIs provides another strategic entry point via supporting the implementation of the ‘Primer’ developed

by UNFPA, to capacitate NHRIs for them to conduct public inquiries for the prevention and elimination of FGM. We recently hosted a round table conversation with NHRIs and CSOs on 10 December 2021 in commemoration of Human Rights Day and the 16 Days of Activism against GBV, which provided a great platform to share experiences on what the different NHRIs have been doing or planned to do, and discuss practical strategies on how their

AfricanDefenders and DefendDefenders are committed to supporting the commitments made by the NHRIs for the prevention and elimination of FGM and all harmful practices that affect women and girls in their national strategy development. We will advocate for partners to address issues related to FGM and other harmful practices affecting women and girls, using the Primer as one of the key priority actions for 2022.

We are also ready to work closely with UNFPA and the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) to identify avenues for funding the Primer implementation on the continent. The outcomes of the round table conversation have been adequately packaged into communication, education, and advocacy resources (audio visuals, and editorial journal/ magazine) on both HCR 44/16, and the Primer for NHRIs. These resource packages initiated from the Human Rights day event will be disseminated on all AfricanDefenders and DefendDefenders platforms and in upcoming events to further educate the targeted users on both the resolution and the rest of the NHRIs on the Primer.

protection support to HRDs at risk on the continent despite the challenges presented by the pandemic. We identified the need to tailor our protection interventions to address additional risks related to the pandemic, for example, WHRDs addressing issues of FGM and other harmful practices affecting women and girls who are often victims of harassment in the public and private spheres, including from their communities and own families.

Therefore, in addition to the conventional protection assistance, we offer psychosocial and wellbeing support to WHRDs to facilitate their management of stress triggers as a result of the pandemic conditions and their activism. We also use the available digital platforms to ensure continuity in our advocacy and capacity-building efforts.

We have continued to provide emergency 5

Contents 10 Promoting Women’s Bodily Autonomy!

52 The ‘Unfinished Journey’

12 Celebrating Every Achievement

56 Giant Steps to Eradicate FGM in Senegal

16 Insight: A Clear Picture of HRC Resolution 44/16

58 Stephanie Okereke-Linus: Raising Awareness Through Creative Concepts

20 H.E. President Kenyatta Champions Actions To End FGM

63 Cover Feature, They Play a Keypart !

22 A Celebration of the African History and Heritage

66 A CHANGE of Heart: An FGM Practitioner Now Protects Children From FGM

28 EU’s Leading Support To Eliminate FGM

74 Not Everything We Inherit is a Gift to be Passed On. A Poem by Justina Kehinde

31 Senegal Youth Forum Round-Table

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100 Mothers’ Pledges

32 Global Youth Consortium

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Laetitia KY: Even the Hair Says No To FGM!

35 UNFPA FGM HackLab

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How Forward Uses Art to Say No to FGM

41 Champions: Dr. Morissanda Kouyaté (MD,Ph.D)

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Films, A Powerful Way To Shine The Light

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FGM Development Data at a Glance

44 An Exclusive Conversation With H.E Amira Elfadil on the Saleema Initiative

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The Africa She Wants: Ending FGM by 2030

46 The First Youth Envoy of African Union Speaks for The Youth 50 Equality Now 6

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editorial team a

Meltem Agduk Gender and GBV Technical Specialist Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM on Gender & Human Rights Branch Technical Division United Nations Population Fund.

REMARKS

From the Global Coordinator UNFPA

Spotlight Initiative - FGM / Africa Region

Fahmia Al-Fotih’

Mireille Tushiminina

Communication & Knowledge Management Specialist Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM Gender and Human Rights Branch Technical Division United Nations Population Fund Spotlight Initiative - FGM / Africa Region

Isatu Sasey-Bayoh Gender & Human Rights Expert, with a Masters in Gender and Agriculture.

She has over 20 years of results-based experience working with the United Nations and International NGOs delivering gendertransformative, evidenced, and rights-based programs in Humanitarian, Peace, States Building, and Development contexts.

Walda Keza Shaka Program Officer DefendDefenders

Adeline Sede Kamga Founder and Publisher, FabAfriq Magazine/ FabAfriq Media Group

CEO/Publisher: Adeline Sede Kamga Editorial Team Jemea Mokwe Ngufack Ntemgwa Verna Steffi Lizette Tarke Shiti Nancy Design and Layout Nelson Kamga Christian Ndoumbe Print Mag print UK

Coordinator of the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation.

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elcome to a special edition on actions against FGM. This editorial will highlight the key achievements of the HRC 44/16 adopted in July 2020 and other actions by UNFPA. The Resolution calls for a multisectoral response to prevent and eliminate FGM. Thousands of women suffer FGM around the world and it is internationally recognised as an extreme violation of the rights of women and girls. We would like to thank the United Nations, AfricaDefenders and DefendDefenders, the Human Rights Commissions, Human Rights Civil Societies and the technical consultants, who made this edition possible by providing insightful resources. In this special edition, we will feature political leaders, Non-governmental leaders, celebrities and social activists who have made great contributions to help in the elimination of FGM. We will also share the stories of FGM survivors, including their pains, anger, and frustration. Stories like these show we need to intensify

our actions to eliminate FGM once and for all. We have summarised the resolutions from the round table discussion organised by DefenderDefenders as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against GBV to tackle further insights from the HRC and other key players working at the forefront. We have curated fact-driven interviews with top executives and other activists working endlessly to end FGM, through which we captured some of the challenges they face and recommendations to help speed up the elimination of FGM. Folk media has always been an essential tool in communicating key information and we have thrown in highlights on how music, art, literature and other creative arts could be used to express different views on FGM. Importantly, FGM is not solely a woman’s fight, it is a human fight, implying both men and women should roll up their sleeves and get to work!

Happy reading.

Image Credits : Images used in this magazine has been provided by the following : UNFPA, UNICEF, SPOTLIGHT INITIATIVE, UN, FabAfriq media Group, DefendDefenders and Persons represented/featured 8

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Promoting Women’s Bodily Autonomy!

How UNFPA implements the Human Rights Council Resolution 44/16 (HRC 44/16) actions on the Prevention and Elimination of FGM.

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NFPA’s work is centred around promoting women’s bodily autonomy, and the rights to decision-making and informed choices.

However, data continues to suggest that women and girls’ rights, particularly those related to their bodily autonomy, and protection from violation such as FGM remains a huge challenge. For example, the recent report on ‘My Body is My Own’ released in April 2021, reaffirmed that about ‘half of all women are denied their bodily autonomy.

practice such as FGM.

The HRC 44/16 is considered very important for the work of UNFPA and partners as a major contributor to accomplishing SDG 5.3. This is because until issues such as harmful practices related to FGM are fully eliminated, the burden of pain and denial of women and girls to decide on their own bodies will forever isolate them from the global development agenda. With 200 million living girls and women already being violated by FGM (as per prevalent First, we are co-leading an action coalition on data from about 30 countries, and UNFPA’s women’s bodily autonomy and sexual reproductive estimation of about 4.6 million girls to face this same health rights. Also, we are co-leading the global joint violation by 2030), it is very timely to collectively programme on the prevention and elimination of amplify actions from the rights perspective.

FGM with UNICEF. We are continuously supporting, The multi-faceted vision of accountability developed and collaborating with international, and national

by HRC 44/16 has been noted to have inspired partners in guaranteeing women the power, and regional organisations and member states to follow agency to make informed choices alongside the that collective approach. The development of the freedom and safety to decide independently on Accountability Framework of the African Union issues that pertain to the elimination of FGM. on harmful practices is aimed at spurring political The Nairobi Summit on ICPD 25 and coalition on action, transparency, and responsibility including women’s bodily autonomy in Paris re-energised mutual accountability in its synergies with the global commitments to end all maternal deaths, European Union-funded Spotlight Initiative, Africa unmet need for family planning, GBV and harmful Regional Programme, which is a great success story practices such as FGM by 2030. that UNFPA continues to build on.

Another strategy is to invest in cross-sectoral HCR 44/16 provides an opportunity for UNFPA to coordination, which has added immense value to amplify advocacy on cost, national action plans, addressing issues of FGM. For example, 15 out of and accountability on its implementation. The 17 joint programme countries have national FGM UNFPA’s Executive Director, Dr Natalia Kanem, coordination bodies. Other strategies include: during the Generation Equality Forum on advancing investment in addressing harmful social norms gender equality said “There can be no gender change, and promotion of gender equality programs equality without bodily autonomy and sexual and that address FGM and women’s bodily autonomy, reproductive health and rights, and no bodily as well as promoting men and boys’ engagement autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and initiatives, to address the toxicity of all forms of rights without full gender equality”. It is along these masculinity that contribute to GBV and harmful 10

lines that UNFPA will continue to deliver its vision.

efforts.

Taking forward the full With the emergence of the implementation of the Nairobi Covid-19 Pandemic, UNFPA has Summit commitments, including estimated 2 million additional the proposal to have Kenya meets cases of FGM occurring its pledge to end FGM ahead of throughout this decade. The the 2030 deadline. Building on the estimate is largely based on vision and guidance of Resolution the significant disruptions to HRC 44/16 to strengthen programs that promote and coordinated actions that further prevent FGM, including within mobilise all related government humanitarian settings. UNFPA and sectors, civil society, and the the joint program have ensured private sector for women and girls that over 430,748 women and at risk of FGM including survivors girls received health services, as the drivers of social change. while 129,531 women and girls accessed social services, and16,380 received legal services.

The move by the UNFPA to work with partners to ensure timely integration of FGM prevention and protection services in the Covid-19 response plans of health and social services has been a great enabler for the protection of FGM survivors, and prevention

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A Year in Review Of UNFPA / UNICEF

Celebrating Every Achievement The launch of the UNFPA/UNICEF partnership is considered one of the most proactive partnerships to help curb the practices of FGM. The partnership is at the forefront of spearheading initiatives geared at dismantling human rights and unequal power dynamics which place women and girls as subordinate to men and boys

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n estimated 200 million girls and women alive are believed to have been subjected to FGM/C based on information from 30 countries with available data on prevalence. The current estimates of 3.9 million girls mutilated each year are expected to rise to 4.6 million by 2030 unless current efforts are collectively accelerated.

Although uneven, there is evidence of an overall decline.

Programme in collaboration with the Office of the High Commission on Human Rights (OHCHR), and the UNFPA, had a High-Level Panel (HLP) during the 47th session of the Human Rights Council on the Human Rights Resolution 44/16. The session also resulted in a joint statement by Egypt and Burkina Faso on a call to end FGM irrespective of whether it is done in the hospital or using traditional methods, thereby amplifying the call to action for accountability by all.

...the program emphasizes the critical role of men and boys in supporting communitylevel responses to FGM in the prevalence of FGM in Africa, which is more visible in countries such as Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Tanzania and Togo.

case filed by a medical doctor in Kenya, challenging the prohibition of FGM on the basis that it was limiting women’s choices and the rights to uphold their culture. The court dismissed the case stating that the practice of FGM violates a woman’s right to health and is a harmful practice. This event resulted in mobilising and amplifying voices and actions for the implementation of the HRC. For example, all statements made reaffirmed political commitments and clear actions towards the implementation and accountability of HCR 44/16.

At the technical level panel engagement, facilitated by the Deputy Chief of UNFPA Geneva Office: Mr. Alfonso Barragues the conversation on the HRC 44/16, and the Primer to conduct a public inquiry for the prevention and elimination of FGM had about 8 panellists represented

by NHRIs from Liberia, Uganda,

Senegal, Female Lawyers Association (L.A.W.Y.E.R.S) from Sierra Leone, and CSOs from Equality Now Regional Network, Purposeful from Sierra Leone, and Dinidari Africa Foundation from Nigeria. This conversation was not only for the purpose of education on HRC 44/16, but to enhance the commitment of NHRIs and CSOs to amplify efforts/ action in implementing the Primer that was developed by UNFPA to guide their actions. Senegal NHRIs have now included the full implementation of the Primer in their 2022 work plan. The Female Lawyers Association from Sierra Leone has never directly intervened in a case related to FGM and they committed during the conversation that this was going to be one key priority action for their 2022 workplace.

The information gathered during this round table event has been adequately reflected in the communication and advocacy packages (audio visuals, and

Having a resolution does not necessarily guarantee a successful implementation of a programme, hence the HRC 44/16 developed a systematic and comprehensive capacity-building tool called Primer, which helps them to conduct public inquiries for the elimination of FGM. This was created upon consultation and in collaboration with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and UNFPA. The joint launch provided an opportunity to strategically discuss NHRIs to strengthen their focus on promoting gender equality and FGM prevention, while taking stock of the linkages between the human rights FGM via public inquiries toward a zero-tolerance for FGM.

The UNFPA/UNICEF Joint Programme invests in strengthening multi-sectoral responses and global accountability towards the realisation of SDGs 5.3 amplified results. In June 2021, over 100 member states from the HRC, joined forces to adopt the HRC 44/16. In July 2021 the UNFPA/ UNICEF Joint

Sudan and Kenya are amongst other countries that celebrated new legislative criminalising FGM in 2021. Prior to this legislation, there was a court 12

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editorial journal/magazine) on both HCR 44/16 and the Primer for NHRIs. These resource packages initiated from the Human Rights day event are being disseminated in all upcoming events and beyond to further educate the targeted users on both the Resolution, and the rest of the NHRIs on the Primer, and created a platform for further exchanges.

This event resulted in mobilising and amplifying voices and actions for the implementation of the Human Rights Council Other summaries of other achievements in 2021 were: Reflective of the fact that social norms change will only be sustainable if it is promoted from within the communities, the Joint Programme further updated the social norm change manual, as they engaged non-state actors, such as traditional leaders, religious authorities, private entities, parents, and other actors in

positions of authority and power.

The engagement by these actors as human rights duty-bearers has been critical in ensuring that they respect human rights and that unequal power dynamics placing women and girls as subordinate to men and boys are effectively dismantled.

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Insight: A Clear Picture of HRC Resolution 44/16

medicalisation included.

HRC 44/16 further calls for the principles of, inter alia, accountability, participation, transparency, empowerment, sustainability, equality and non-discrimination, and international cooperation to be reinforced. And one of its focus is to “develop the capacity of NHRIs to investigate human rights violations related to the practice of FGM and to monitor progress in preventing and eliminating this harmful practice”.

HRC 44/16 also amplified the call for a better coordinated approach to the humanitarian development nexus of integrating the prevention and response to FGM into humanitarian actions, and national development plans.

Insight

The Impact UNFPA anticipates a one-third reduction towards achieving the elimination of FGM by 2030. Implementing HRC 44/16 would have this outcome in preventing and eliminating FGM. For example:

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020 marked the launch of the Decade of Action, a global call for accelerating sustainable solutions to the world’s biggest challenges, inequality, poverty, and discrimination, to achieve the SDGs. The HRC 44/16 was unanimously endorsed by the Human Rights Council in July 2020, without a vote and with co-sponsorship by over one hundred United Nations Member States, including members of the African Union and the European

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Union.

The resolution urged states to reinforce the development and implementation of rightsbased, gender-responsive multi-sectoral actions. This includes strengthening of accountability systems in the context of comprehensive and multi-sectoral national strategies, policies, plans, laws, and budgets that are fully implemneted to prevent and eliminate all forms FGM, its

* The protection of women and girls from FGM and the rights to their bodily autonomy will have a positive impact on their economic, health and social status, and the development of society in general. * Having accurate and reliable data on FGM to inform planning and track progress in its elimination. * Building on the ‘Saleema Initiative’ implemented by the African Union, to mobilise more political actions, including, the mobilisation of additional financial resources and strategic partnerships to end this practice will be realised.

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Insight

The Resolution targeted Organisations from multi-sectors such as, education, health, justice, social welfare, law enforcement, immigration and asylum, and communication and media. It promotes vertical coordination among stakeholders at the national, subnational and local levels, including parliamentarians, national human rights institutions, traditional community leaders, religious authorities, women and girls, parents, legal guardians /families, health-care providers, civil society, human rights groups, youth organisations, and men and boys.

Walking the Walk

This tool provides a concise one-stop guide for planning and conducting a public inquiry on FGM, designed for NHRIs in countries with high prevalence on FGM. While the tool offers guidance to enhance the capacity and accountability of NHRIs on gender transformative, sexual and reproductive health and rights, it prioritizes public inquiries

by NHRIs for eliminating FGM, with a clear step-by-step outline on its implementation, which includes holding a public inquiry on FGM, reflecting advocacy, and programming guidance on addressing FGM within the COVID-19 pandemic.

The launch of the Primer was represented by co-sponsors and member states, including Australia, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Kenya, Norway, Sierra Leone, Spain, Sudan, the United Kingdom, European Union and the African Union. The collaboration with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) and other regional Networks of NHRIs provides greater opportunity to widen the scope of reach to NHRIs for the full implementation 18

of the Primer.

On June 23rd, 2021, the Joint program in coordination with the UNFPA Geneva Office, had a successful collaboration with the Office of the High Commissioner (OHCRC) on a high-level panel that was conveyed to discuss the multi-sectoral prevention of, and response to FGM. This HLP convened during its 47th session brought together diverse speakers from member states, CSOs and NHRIs. the UNFPA’s Executive Director Dr Natalia Kanem, the African Union Commissioner from the Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development - H.E Ms. Amira Elfadil Mohammed Elfadil, the Commissioner from the National Commission on Violence Against Women, Komnas Perempuan (Indonesia) Mr. Bahrud Fuad.

The HLP also resulted to a joint statement by Burkin faso and Egypt on the call for an end to anti medicalisation of FGM. The full statement was signed up by about 141 member states/ countries represented global by all regions, including the United Nations.

Chaired by H.E Ms. Nazhat Shameen Khan, President of the HRC, there were reaffirmations, and sustained calls for multisectoral response at all levels, including ensuring joint efforts to end the medicalisation of the practices. This included ensuing laws to promote prevention/ mitigation, enhancing positive gender and social norms that

Also, on December 10 ,during the human rights day of the 16 Days of Activism, a round table conversation involving NHRIs and CSOs, to discuss their role in promoting and protecting the rights of women and girls at risk of fgm, and those living with the consequences of this harmful practice was hosted by DefendDefender in collaboration with UNFPA and the NANHRI. Chaired by the Director: Ms. Monica Ferro of the UNFPA Geneva Office, political commitments /action oriented remarks were delivered by: Ambassador Nadine Traore, Deputy Permanent Representative of Burkina Faso in Geneva, Ms. Mireille Tushiminina , Global Coordinator, UNFPA/UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM, Mr. David Barissa; Senior Program Officer, and Officer in Charge, NANHRI, and Mr. Hassan Shire; Executive Director, DefendDefenders, and chairperson, AfricanDefenders. Facilitated by the Deputy Chief of UNFPA Geneva Office: Mr. Alfonso Barragues the conversation on the HRC 44/16, and the Primer to conduct public inquiry for the prevention and

elimination of FGM had over 8 panelists represented by NHRIs from Liberia: Urias Teh Pour; Acting Executive Director NHRI, Ms. Ruth Sekindi; Director Monitoring and Inspections Uganda, NHRI Senegal, Mr. Abdoulaye Mar; Coordonnateur Comité Sénégalais des Droits de l’Homme-NHRI, Female Lawyers Association (L.A.W.Y.E.R.S) from Sierra Leone and Ms. Juliet Kaikai; Deputy Secretary General.

CSOs were represented by Equality Now Regional Network Ms. Asenath Mwithigah; Global Lead to end Harmful Practices, PURPOSEFUL, from Sierra Leone, Ms. Nicky Spencer Coker; heads of movement building and advocacy, and Dinidari Africa Foundation from Nigeria represented by Ms. Ndi Kato; Executive Director.

This event provided a platform for NHRIs and CSOs to strengthen collaboration on actions to prevent and eliminate FGM of all forms/ types. Also, commitments have been seen translated into actions of positioning FGM elimination and its accountability within the ongoing national action planning of the Senegalise NHRI, while L.A.W.Y.E.R.S. in Sierra Leone pledge to include FGM in thier legal and rights based deliverables for the very first time.

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Insight

Insight

One of the key actions required for the implementation of HRC 44/16 is to invest resources in a systemic and comprehensive capacity building of NHRIs for them to conduct public inquiry for the elimination of FGM. Hence, the UNFPA/UNICEF Joint programme for the prevention and elimination of FGM developed a tool called Primer.

will ensure community and all level leadership and actions on eliminating FGM, with accountability including that of the NHRIs.

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H.E. President Kenyatta Champions Actions To End FGM

The enactment of the Prohibition of FGM Act, 2011 was a key milestone in the campaign to end FGM in the country. Despite the legislative and policy measures put in place to prohibit the practice, it still persists in certain communities. At the Nairobi summit held in November 2019, an International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) +25, Kenyatta addresses Kenya’s role in eliminating FGM:

will eliminate all forms of GBV and harmful practises by 2030 through the strengthening of co-ordination mechanisms and by addressing cultural norms that propagate these practices”.

The President has reaffirmed his commitment on many occasions at the High-Level Elders Forum at State House.

He is also known to have convened cultural and religious leaders from communities with high rates of FGM, whereby he encouraged them to end the practice. Commitments to support the President’s vision have been signed and supported by many local leaders so far.

The President works very closely with the relevant government agencies to ensure that the law is enforced and that action is taken against all perpetrators.

Such inputs from decision-making positions add more to the actions against FGM.

“I commit to providing the leadership necessary to ensure that FGM ends within this generation” he went ahead to add that, “in addition, the country

“ I would like to restate my commitment and that of the Government of Kenya to provide the leadership necessary to ensure that FGM ends within this generation”.

-President Uhuru Kenyatta

President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya’s president has on many occasions stated his commitment to putting an end to FGM. As a champion, he has passed several laws in favour of women and has also encouraged and supported local initiatives on these subjects.

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Champions

Champions

n the 4th of June, 2019, His Excellency (H.E) President Uhuru Kenyatta made a firm commitment to put an end to FGM by the year 2022 at The Women Deliver Conference in Vancouver, Canada. This was the world’s largest conference on gender equality that brought together government officials, human rights activists, academics, media and advocacy organisations from around the world with at least 8,000 participants.

I Belong To Me:

A Celebration of the African History and Heritage A focus on Girls’ and Women’s Rights

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oraya Addi is the Author of I Belong To Me, a book about a celebration of African history and the heritage of girls and women’s rights and the path towards the elimination of harmful practices, such as FGM and child marriage. Addi is an advocate for women’s and girls’ rights and advocates for an African Union, the UN and is a Spotlight Initiative steering committee member 1. What prompted you to advocate for women’s rights ?

The first and most obvious reason I advocate for women’s rights is the fact that I am a woman. In a world in which our rights are under attack every day, wherever we are, we need to stand up for our choices and lives however we can, and I was lucky enough to make a career out of it.

I am a survivor and I kept silent.

This is my first time of speaking publicly about it.

The second reason is because I am a survivor of sexual violence. I was 8 years old the first time I was sexually assaulted and by the time I was 10, I had been sexually abused severally by 3 different men. I grew up keeping it a secret because I had internalised the rule of victim shaming. I was convinced that it was my fault, simply because I am a female and 24

that there was something diabolical in me, reasons I never spoke about it. I felt so lonely and hopeless, and I blamed myself. In my early 20s, I started talking about this GBV I had gone through to my female college friends and realised with astonishment that literally every woman I met had a sexual violence story. Each single one of them.

The feeling of shame transformed into a rage, and after many years and efforts, I found a way to channel that rage into positive action. The most effective way I have found has been to give platforms for meaningful participation to the ones we call “voiceless” and to make sure our manner of viewing survivors is always dignified. The Saleema Youth Victorious Ambassadors programme was born from these objectives.

It still requires the mobilisation of an incredible amount of energy to fight the sexist narrative I have internalised that we all grew up with, coupled with the frustration of seeing that social norms are not changing fast enough and millions of girls’ and women’s most basic human rights are still being violated. I can still see in myself the many aspects in which my trauma expresses itself, which affects my behaviour and hinders part of my abilities.

However, entering the international system and working with women as well as under women’s leadership has played a huge role in my healing process and has allowed me

to understand how deeply gender biased I was as a survivor and I kept silent. Violence affects not only survivors but also societies in

their entirety.

2. How can you rate the impact of what you do and how can we maximise this?

The activities to empower women has been organised within the context of the African Union’s initiative on the elimination of FGM, the ‘Saleema Initiative’.

The African Union is a highlevel political organisation and its impact on women empowerment has been measured in two levels: the capacity to mobilise

The activities to empower women has been organised within the context of the African Union’s initiative on the elimination of FGM

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high-level stakeholders to participate in the empowerment platforms and the capacity to open the platform to other beneficiaries, activists and survivors to make sure that the door we have opened remains unlocked to amplify more voices.

This is still a work in progress, and even though we did open the platform to civil society actors we still have room for improvement.

3. What advice do you have for young girls and women who are silent about violations?

Girls and women have the right to stay silent, just as much as they have the right to speak up.

Girls and women have the right to feel strength and vulnerability, to be bold and to need protection.

There is no right or wrong behaviour. The patriarchal system is a very complex and multi-

It is through collective actions, that women can take actions against all forms of GBV that they face

layered system of oppression that exists in every part of the world with different symptoms, sometimes contradictory looking symptoms and having the empowerment to break the silence is a long and painful process that also requires a certain level and form of privilege.

center of that decision.

4. In your opinion, how can women collectively take actions against all forms of violations against women?

I think the answer is in the question. It is through collective action that women can eliminate all forms of GBV I am a survivor and I kept silent. they face. This could be done As I said, this is my first time through sisterhood, structures of that speaking out publicly and holistic and intersectional about this. The perpetrators approaches. We need to open of the assaults against me are channels of communication free. I have made this choice among ourselves and strengthen for now, and maybe I will make the existing networks of women a different choice later, or I will working on girls’ and women’s stick with this choice. Whichever rights. the case may be, I am creating Furthermore, we need to invest the capacity for me to make a in the decision-making tables choice. In the meantime, I have at local, national, regional and decided to channel my energy and dedicate my time to working international levels. We must be on building platforms for women represented in all spaces that affect any aspect of girls’ and who have decided to speak up, women’s lives. and I am devoted to creating legal means to end GBV. My Moreover, we also need to create advice to girls and women is to collective tools for the younger deconstruct the sexist narrative, generations to know their which we have all internalised, rights and worth, and involve and reconstruct their view of small and big stakeholders. themselves and of the world with This for instance is our reason kindness, dignity and worthiness. for creating the ‘I Belong to They should always focus on Me book’, which tells the story themselves first, their potential of the rights of African girls and their needs. If that leads and women. It is the first book to them speaking up, keeping produced by the African Union silent, seeking justice, creating Commission, and it was designed or joining support groups, or with the support of the Spotlight taking action at grass-roots or Initiative Africa Regional political levels. It is all valid, as Programme and the Nala long as it is their own choice and Feminist collective by bringing that they place themselves at the together African females who are experts in different fields

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such as child development, decolonisation, intersectional feminism etc.

Ending GBV is not only about decreasing the numbers through legal and programmatic mechanisms, but also empowering the next generations to scale up their actions, to build on the lessons learned and the achievements which have been attained so far, and I am certain that GBV will end, as there is no other viable option.

I have decided to channel my energy and dedicate my time to working on building platforms for women who have decided to speak up

I Belong To Me:

Palesa Masaho

Voicing Their Voices

Art engages people at every level - not just in their minds but in their emotions, values and imaginations.

These are crucial drivers of real change when it comes to ending the practice of FGM, and the AU Saleema Initiative has helped me broaden and understand this even more further to be able to make a great impact.

Dickel Dia

“I

Belong To Me” is a celebration of the African History and Heritage on Girls’ and Women’s Rights and the path towards the elimination of Harmful Practices, FGM and Child Marriage.

The main character, an 11-year-old girl called Saleema, travels the Continent to visit the cities where the main African policies related to Girls and Women’s rights were adopted in order to discover that there is legitimacy and power in her voice and in her dreams.

FGM, leading young people at the global youth round table organized by the UNJP in Dakar to develop youth work-plan for the next phase of the Joint Programme, organising a laudable side event at the African Girls Summit 2021, among other notable events where I have been opportune to represent the African Union and the voice of Survivors at global High Level events have been very empowering.

Its been a platform to network, learn and share for me. And I look forward to more learning and sharing experience.

The book is an ode to African Culture and History through an authentic narrative that unveils the power of African storytelling, intergenerational dialogue and collaboration.

Basma Kamel “Since joining the SYVA program, I was empowered to share the needs of survivors and the needed support, work professionally with decision makers and stakeholders to be part of ending FGM process and widen my network with other young victorious women and girls having same goal of dismantling the taboos and stopping this patriarchal practice by 2030”

We honour the ancestors and empower the youth to always aim higher and further, because we know what was, what is and what can be.

Abimbola Aladejare-Salako Organising the High level Accountability framework in commemoration of the 2021 Zero Tolerance Day to end 28

Through my duties as a Saleema Ambassador, I had the honor and the privilege to participate in numerous High-Level Events alongside Government and UN Representatives e.g. Continental Dialogue on The State of World Population (SWOP) Report 2021 under the theme ‘My Body is My Own: Claiming the right to autonomy and self-determination; and Global Youth Round Table on FGM’, where I had the privilege to participate in the creation FGM Global Youth Consortium

Kawsar Muuse My experiences of being a Saleema Youth Victorious Ambassador is an unforgettable one, since it allows you to accomplish something you are passionate about, while also contributing to the long-term elimination of FGM in Africa. Last year was my greatest experience with the African Union, I also had the opportunity to participate in high-level events, which enabled me and other Saleema girls to have a say in a variety of

conversations and choices that have a significant impact on our lives including the African Girl Summit and Annual High-Level Platform about International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM.

thrive on its own. I have realised that growing up I had internalised that narrative and limited myself in many aspects of my life.

I wanted to write a pride story for African girls that would show Saada Djadid them they can be the hero, while Mahamat depicting the true complexity of the issue of their rights within Being a Saleema our social and legal structures. To Youth Victorious ensure this level of authenticity, Ambassador has we have brought together allowed me to meet activists and a creative team exclusively survivors from other regions, composed of African women who to establish dialogue and a have done extensive research sisterhood that brought me for the book on the policies as strength to move forward. This well as on the outfits in order to programme also provided us with reflect the richness and diversity an amazing platfrom to voice our of African aesthetics. We are very message, enhance our networks proud to have created the African through high-level events in other Union’s first feminist children’s African countries, but mostly to book in which there are no bad better our understanding of the characters, but rather difficult ecosystem to end FGM in Africa. situations that the characters solve together through the SORAYA ADDI collaboration and communication “I Belong To Me is an that are embedded in our Ode to Africa. As an community structures and the African woman, I have pan-Africanism that has allowed suffered from the wildly spread for the design of our progressive narrative that Africa needs saving, social development and Human that African women are helpless Rights policies” victims and that our continent is bound to depend on the charity of the rest of the world to survive without ever being able to

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EU’s Leading Support To Eliminate FGM A conversation with Patricia Pennetier, Directorate General on Development and Cooperation, European Commission

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hile strengthening multi-sectoral measures to eliminate FGM will involve addressing root causes of FGM including gender inequality and social norms, integrating FGM in humanitarian actions, accountability measures particularly enhancing the monitoring role of NHRIs is equally critical and important.

This is even more urgent as UNFPA and partners take forward the implementation of the commitment of the Nairobi summit on the ICPD 25, reflective of the reaffirmed commitment to zero-tolerance FGM. The role of the NHRIs in preventing FGM is critical, and we acknowledge the EU’s leading support to actualise this, particularly being part of the decision to adopt the HRC 44/16.

on the Elimination of FGM for many years and since mid 2020, the support has been through the Global Spotlight Programme which is mainly established to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030 as stated in the Strategic Plan of the Fund.

EU has supported the UNICEFUNFPA Global Joint Programme

Actions against harmful practices including FGM is a priority for

This interview seeks to find out how EU is addressing the following root causes of gender inequality, including gender stereotypes, unequal power relations, negative social norms, attitudes, behaviors, and socio economic drivers towards FGM .

What enforces the EU’s contribution to the promotion of rights-based FGM prevention and elimination, including the Covid challenges highlighted by HRC 44/16?

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EU external action as recognised both under the EU Action Plan for Human Rights and Democracy, and under the Gender Action Plan III, which highlight the imperative need for the legal prohibition of FGM. Every year, the EU reaffirms its zero tolerance of FGM, whether practiced within the EU or beyond its borders. Despite some noteworthy progress in recent years, figures are still worrisome and are exacerbated by the disruption caused by COVID19 in prevention programmes, seriously undermining progress made towards achieving the SDGs. In this light, besides growing political commitments and investments to end FGM by 2030, further efforts need to be intensified to ensure that FGM is implemented globally and that COVID related obstacles be

addressed.

FGM through the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative whose primary ambition The EU continues to work with is to eliminate all forms of violence determination towards this goal against women and girls in 26 and believes that progress is countries and 6 different regions still possible. Encouraging the with its comprehensive and multiabandonment of FGM requires sectoral approach. In parallel to coordinated and holistic initiatives the operational actions, the EU is that must involve authorities using political and human rights and the entire communities and dialogues with partner countries address fundamental rights and to advocate for the elimination, gender equality. To this end, the prevention and protection from EU has been supporting projects all forms of sexual and GBV, to combat FGM worldwide, including social norms and engaging communities on the harmful practices. need to eliminate FGM and transforming social norms through collective action.

By way of a practical example of what the EU is doing, the initiative supporting UNFPA/UNICEF through the Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM focuses on strengthening policy development and implementation, while improving access to quality health care, protection, and legal and social services in 18 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (for a total amount of EUR 18 million between 2016-2022). The EU is also contributing to the end of

What is the EU’s take on strategies to change/transform gender dynamics with reference to gender roles as a result of social conservatives negatively impacting women’s decision making to their bodily autonomy, including protecting them from FGM?

An enabling legal and policy framework backed up with sufficient resources and clear commitments at the highest level, and adequate data on which 31

to make informed decisions are crucial for combatting FGM. However, prohibition and criminalisation are not enough for sustained results. With FGM being rooted in social and cultural norms that devalue women and girls, we also need to scale up innovative interventions that raise awareness and address social norms and strengthen social accountability at all levels, including the community level.

This is the reason why, to address the root causes of gender inequality and contribute to counter the multiplicity of stereotypes prevailing in many contexts, the EU is taking a gender-transformative approach in its actions against GBV. This means examining, questioning, and changing gender norms and imbalances of power, which disfavour women and girls and lead to harmful practices such as FGM. This means the EU promotes change in social attitudes, including by actively engaging men and boys and by putting a focus on young people as drivers of change. To work efficiently in a sensitive context, it is essential to forge strong partnerships and dialogue with local actors, civil society, GBV survivors,local communities and support women’s organisations.

The EU is confident that change is possible and it is happening, but it is a lengthy process and requires relentless efforts. We have seen that in some countries, people and communities have already abandoned FGM. Attitudes, beliefs and norms can change when people understand the hazards of certain practices and

realise that it is possible to give up harmful practices without giving up meaningful aspects of their culture.

From your perspectives and experience, what examples will you suggest on how HRC 44/16, and the Primer for NHRIs capacity strengthening may have been or could be of advantage to global priorities of ending harmful practices within the SDG 5.3 by 2030?

NRHIs play a crucial role in promoting and monitoring the effective implementation of International Human Rights standards at the national level and thus have an important role to play in strengthening national accountability for the elimination of FGM. HRC 44/16 highlights the specific contribution that NHRIs can make in case their capacity to investigate human rights violations related to FGM and to monitor progress in preventing and eliminating this harmful practise is increased.

The Primer is a critical and extremely timely tool to help NHRIs discharge their monitoring mandate and address the accountability gap that many survivors of FGM still face today.

NHRIs from EU countries have a role to play in monitoring the conduct and efforts of our own governments, as FGM is also practised in the EU Member States. Yet, in terms of our external actions, the EU is also keen to support NHRIs from highly prevalent partner countries to discharge the mandate of Resolution 44/16. This support complements the substantial

efforts of the EU to end FGM and other harmful practices once and for all.

A shared commitment to translating global policy into action, including at the local level, will be the only way to make sure that COVID 19 does not derail us from our goal to accelerate the promise of the SDGs (goal 5.3 to eliminate harmful practices) and to end the unfinished business of the ICPD agenda by 2030.

2022 will definitely be a busy one for you, would you like to share some of the plans you have in the pipeline in terms of funding implementation of, and accountability on HRC 44/16?

we must also add the initiatives developed at country level and managed by EU Delegations that will continue in 2022 to support local communities and CSOs in eliminating FGM.

Senegal Youth Forum Round-Table

In 2022, the EU will continue to stand up for women and girls’ rights and speak out against FGM, While the practice is becoming less common in some parts of the world, progress is still uneven and too slow to be on track with the 2030 target for its effective elimination and prevention. Nothing can justify this violence against women and girls, and no one can stay silent.

Indeed, the EU is in the middle of the programming phase of its external actions for the next 7 years and is working hard to translate the strong positions it has taken against all forms of GBV, including harmful practices such as FGM, into concrete actions and measures.

In particular, the EU is striving under its new external financing instrument, the Neighbourhood, Development and Cooperation Instrument and Global Europe, to make gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls a major objective for at least 85% of all new external actions by 2025. Programmes to prevent and abolish FGM through the actions listed in HRC 44/16 are an integral part of these objectives.

This year, the Spotlight Initiative and the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM will continue to represent at the global level the EU commitment in the fight against harmful practices. However, 32

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Background to

Global Youth Consortium

Current membership in three months includes over 700 young people ages 17-40 from more than 45 countries

Global Youth Consortium Against Female Genital Mutilation: Empowering Young People To Act Against FGM

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he UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM is the largest global programme addressing FGM. Coordinated by UNFPA and UNICEF, the Joint Programme recently launched a youth movement, called the Global Youth Consortium Against FGM. The purpose of this youth consortium is to empower young people to act against FGM in their various communities. Current membership in three months includes over 700 young people ages 17-40 from more than 45 countries.

The consortium was first established at a Global Youth Conference that took place in

Senegal in November 2021. The conference involved young people from over 25 countries. They reviewed the new proposal of the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme to End FGM and established the Global Youth Consortium against FGM. They developed a vision, as well as guidelines on the structure, membership and activities of the consortium. The vision of the Global Youth Consortium is “Youth Leading a World Free of FGM by 2030.”

as part of the commemorations of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM. The ceremony was opened by UNFPA Executive Director Ms. Diene Keita and was attended by the Ambassadors of Portugal, EU, UK and Norway, who are key donors of the joint programme to End FGM.

A call for interested applicants was shared, and hundreds of young people filled out the application form to join the Youth consortium. This saw a rise in After the conference in November, membership and the creation of the first WhatsApp group was three WhatsApp groups which are formed. The guiding document of currently being used to coordinate the consortium was finalised, and the activities of the Consortium. the first executive was elected.

Ongoing activities: The consortium was officially launched on 8 February 2022, The Executive has developed an 34

annual work plan for the Youth Consortium and submitted it to both UNFPA and UNICEF, pending approval. If successful, funds will be disbursed for the Youth Consortium’s activities in various countries.

as they have been reserved for under-represented regions.

Underrepresented regions that are expected to fill these positions are the Arab State, Asia-Pacific Region, and the Diaspora region consisting of Europe and the Americas

Following the election of the executive and regional presidents, countries are now expected to elect a Country Representative.

The Country Representative will be responsible for coordinating the Youth Consortium’s activities in each country and will report to the Executive. The Country Representative will also represent the country at international events, on behalf of the Youth Consortium.

In addition, some key positions of the Executive remain vacant, 35

FGM Innovation HackLAB

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he agenda for 2030 is clear: there can be no sustainable development without gender equality.

Unfortunately, throughout the world, women and girls continue to experience multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination which leaves them behind and excluded from progress. Social norms and structural factors related to economic and social inequalities have resulted in harmful practices against adolescent girls such as FGM and child marriage.

These harmful practices are clear manifestations of gender inequality. These are violations of the rights of women and are part of the continuum of GBV ● It is estimated that one in three women will experience physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. ● Two million additional cases of FGM may occur over the next decade, as COVID-19 disrupts schools and other systems that help protect girls from this harmful practice. ● Over 68 million girls aged 0-14

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are at risk of being subjected to FGM in Africa by 2030. ● In African countries affected

by FGM, seven in ten girls and women think the practice should be abolished. ● 50% of girls and women who have been subjected to FGM, say the practice should be abolished. ● COVID-19 disrupted the progress achieved in Africa to end FGM and showed us the fragility of the progress made so far.

Ms Mireille Tushiminina, Co-ordinator of the UNFPA/ UNICEF Joint Programme on the elimination of FGM, said the programme started in 2008, with the UNFPA and UNICEF jointly leading the largest global programme on the elimination of FGM in 17 African countries.

Collaborating with the Spotlight Initiative Africa Program, the UNFPA / UNICEF Joint Programme on FGM initiated the launch of the FGM Innovation HackLab project in 2021. The aim was to engage young people across the African continent who

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had designed and wanted to develop sustainable, innovative ideas and solutions in line with ending FGM in Africa.

Phase One of the programme elicited 120 proposals from young innovators across the continent.

Over 60% of the submissions were from young women. Phase Two saw the selection of the most implementable ideas from 40 participants, who were enrolled in an intensive personal and business development training programme to hone their ideas.

In Phase Three, 9 innovators participated in the Final Virtual Pitch Event on 7 December 2021, where 4 Winners were ultimately chosen.

These 4 winners are to participate in a business incubation programme, provided by AfriLabs, an Africa based, youth led, innovation incubator that has a network of incubation hubs across the continent. The 4 winners will also receive $50,000 in seed funding each, to roll out their innovations.

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Death of a Dear One From FGM Inspires AwardWinning App

over 20km away, and with a poor road network, the girl bled to death while being rushed to hospital,” he said.

“When I read about the FGM HackLab, I had a flashback to what I had witnessed years back. I tasked myself

Tackling high FGM prevalence The national prevalence rate for FGM in Uganda is just 0.3%, yet in the rate is much higher in the six districts where it is practiced.

In Kapchorwa, 13% of girls and women undergo FGM, according to the 2017 FGM / Cutting survey report by the Uganda Bureau Of Statistics and UNICEF.

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hat if girls and women who are at risk of or have survived FGM could receive the right services and support right when they need them? This challenge motivated a Ugandan team to create a mobile app to link FGM survivors and at-risk girls with services in real time. The multilingual app, Axces mobile, has earned social entrepreneur Joseph Mulabbi and his team of developers a runner-up prize in UNFPA’s FGM Hacklab. His inspiration for Axces Mobile comes from a deeply personal experience: “While at school, a friend (from the Sabiny tribe in Kapchorwa, Eastern Uganda) lost her sister at the age of 16 after she underwent FGM. With the nearest health centre 40

to do something to help girls and women access services when they need them. My solution had to be one that is very simple in terms of cost and ease of use, even for those with no access to smartphones or the Internet.”

Mr. Mulabbi’s Axces Mobile enables the user to make a toll-free call to a community volunteer (village volunteer agent) to report incidents of FGM. The agent then identifies the type of service required and connects the victim with a service provider.

Fellow Ugandan innovator Deborah Nassanga, and her team created an app based on her personal experience of a family member who underwent FGM. Her innovation, Her Story! enables girls and women to report FGM anonymously.

The FGM Innovation HackLab, a youth-led initiative was launched in September 2021 by UNFPA East and Southern

Africa Regional Office, in partnership with the UNFPAUNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM and the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme. More than 100 innovative ideas on how to address FGM were received from young people in 18 countries across Africa.

...what we are missing is what we have right now - the creativity and energy of young people These were narrowed down to ten through a competitive selection process. On the day of the final pitch event, UNFPA Uganda was led by Deputy Representative Daniel Alemu, hosted Mr. Mulabbi, Ms. Nassanga, and their teams at an event in Kampala.

Here, they connected virtually with the judges and other teams at the pitch event based in Johannesburg, South Africa. This is not just about winning. It is about you having the courage to come together to find a solution to 41

Survivor Stories

Survivor Stories

Surviving FGM may just be an app away

“Several interventions to end FGM have been implemented but what we are missing is what we have right now, the creativity and energy of young people,” said Mr. Alemu. “This is not just about winning. It is about you having the courage to come together to find a solution to this crisis.”

He encouraged them to build sustainable business models for their innovations by expanding their scope beyond development partners, to include the private sector.

The overall winner of the hacklab was Nigerian team Family360, whose

SmartRR mobile application also helps survivors of FGM access services.

The winning teams received seed funding of $50,000 and will be mentored for six months by AfriLabs, an organisation that provides support to entrepreneurs, innovators, developers and youths across Africa through technology hubs.

Dr. Morissanda Kouyaté (MD,Ph.D) Executive Director of the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices.

I will continue my actions against FGM to protect women and girls An excerpt from Dr Morissanda Kouyaté, Mandela Prize Laureate 2020 with the UN and how his efforts to fight to protect women and girls will never end!

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Champions

Survivor Stories

this crisis.

This is not just about winning. It is about you having the courage to come together to find a solution to this crisis

parents were distraught and despite the tremendous work we did at the hospital to save their lives, the twins died. I was devastated. It was as if I had lost my own daughters. It was horrible!

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r. Kouyaté, the Executive Director of the IAC, recently partnered with The Vital Voices’ Human Rights team to co-host The Second West Africa Convening to FGM/C in Conakry, Guinea. The Convening mobilised key stakeholders across sectors who are working to end FGM/C in Mali, Mauritania, Guinea, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone.

Allies like Dr Kouyaté, give us hope that ending GBV in our lifetime is possible. Working together with male allies, we are closer to achieving a world in which women are free from violence.

You are known for your taking actions against FGM in Africa. When did you begin this journey?

It began in 1983, in the Tougué region in the Republic of Guinea, at the hospital where I was a young medical director and 12 year old twin girls were brought in. They had been subjected to genital mutilation and were bleeding profusely. Their 44

I was so shocked that I actually took three days off because I couldn’t work. Instead, I just sat down and wrote a pamphlet against FGM. During those days, FGM was called female circumcision. I wrote a strongly-worded pamphlet to say that it was a practice that could lead to tragedies, like the death of the twins. The pamphlet would later land on the table of the WHO officials.

Before then, I knew there was FGM in Kouroussa, where I come from, but I had never questioned it myself.

The death of the twins changed everything and that is where my journey to fight this vice started You have been in this fight for over three decades. What are the main changes that have taken place on the continent over the years?

First, FGM has been totally demystified and is now a taboo. It may seem trivial, but it is a great achievement to knowing where we started. Secondly, the African Heads of State and governments, and the African Union have made a strong commitment to this action against FGM through The Maputo Protocol (The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, on the Rights of Sudan), which was initially one of the most difficult countries to convince. It is now a member of the Inter-African Committee, which has strengthened its legislation against FGM. Thirdly, the people have taken ownership of this fight, especially young girls and boys who are now

What setbacks did you encounter along the way?

I have encountered many setbacks in this struggle, but the biggest obstacle was the resistance of leaders;political leaders, religious leaders, and even some traditional leaders who, despite knowing the negative consequences of FGM, continue to defend the practice for political, religious or, self-promotional purposes. This is the hardest setback for me. It shocks me in many ways.

Yet, you haven’t given up. What drives you to soldier on?

The Tougué twins. For me, they represent all the girls and women in Africa and around the world who continue to suffer from violence and discrimination and are undervalued.

I will never stop until all harmful practices against girls and women are eliminated globally. According to the WHO, about 3 million girls are still at risk of FGM every year.

What are the chances of these numbers dropping to zero and how soon could that happen?

within a generation, I wonder, which generation is that? Is it my generation? Is it my daughters’ generation? Is it my granddaughters’ generation? The question deserves to be asked. Therefore, instead of saying we will eliminate FGM in one generation, I propose we set up a clear objective. If we all get together, if we work together hand in hand in Africa and throughout the world, in ten years, that is to say by 2030 like with the UN SDGs, we can eliminate FGM. Now that you’ve won the award, what are your plans for the future?

I feel invigorated and more engaged.

But most of all, I’m very humbled, like the great man that Nelson Mandela was. I will fight even harder to mobilise more human resources and more material, and financial resources to eliminate FGM and any other harmful traditional practices including child marriage What is your message to those who still strongly defend FGM?

To them, I say: stop defending the indefensible. Attacking girls and women physically and psychologically is neither culturally right nor justifiable on health grounds. It is a pure violation of their rights, and it is unacceptable..

International organisations, including the United Nations, have long-term programs in place and it could be 15, 20, 30 or even 40 years long.

Longterm objectives have been set, which I can understand, but we should avoid applying this to FGM since this is physical and psychological aggression. If we say that we have to end FGM 45

Champions

Champions

How did that incident affect you?

organising themselves to resist FGM, and all forms of mutilation, as well as child marriage. For me, the most important achievement is the fact that the survivors are standing up to protect themselves. And finally, the prevalence rate of FGM is declining across the continent and globe.

Tell us about the Salema Initiative The Saleema Initiative is not new. It is built on what is being done by our government and civil society, especially those that work in the area of fighting harmful traditional practices.

I found that when I came to the AU, I had the opportunity to introduce the Saleema Initiative which had started in Sudan. I was pleased as it was taken initially by the region, then at a higher level and eventually became an international initiative when the AU adopted it. African Union Heads of State and Government, at their 32nd Ordinary Summit,

adopted and launched the Saleema Initiative on Eliminating FGM through Assembly Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.737(XXXII).

The Assembly also designated H.E. Roch March Christian Kaboré, President of Burkina Faso, as the African Union Champion on Eliminating FGM. I believe we need these kind of initiatives to transform the norms and gender inequalities that continue to perpetuate this harmful practice across the continent. The launch of the Saleema Youth Victorious Ambassadors programme by the

African Union Commission in 2020 mirrors this commitment from the Champion. In addition, the Saleema Youth Victorious Ambassadors convene an accountability platform during the commemoration of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, February 6th, that demonstrate the important role young people, particularly those most affected by harmful practices, can play in accelerating elimination efforts.

The Impact of the Saleema Initiative An Exclusive Conversation with

H.E AMIRA EL FADIL on the Saleema Initiative

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.E Amira El Fadil is a Sudanese government official. Fadil previously held the position of Minister of Social Welfare and Social Insurance for the government of Sudan and was elected to a four-year tenure as Commissioner for Social Affairs of the African Union (AU) Commission in 2016. While in post at the AU, Fadil launched the Saleema Initiative to galvanise political action to enforce strong legislation, increase the allocation of financial resources and strengthen 46

partnerships to end FGM, particularly within communities most impacted by the harmful practice.

In this conversation, we wanted to find out more about how H.E Fadil launched this continental initiative to end FGM and save 50 million girls at risk, while considering the impact of FGM. We also discuss progress, challenges and what we need to do to see an end to FGM.

The impact of the Saleema Initiative is paramount because the strategy includes a high-level commitment by our Heads of States and Governments. Their endorsement of this initiative means a committee will be implemented that will report back to the AU by each country which committed itself to the Saleema Initiative and will be responsible to report back to the Minister that’s in charge and also report back to the AU. I would like to appreciate the support of partners, including the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme with the United Nations and European Union, as well as the UNFPAUNICEF Global Programme on the Elimination of FGM, and the World Bank through the Sahel Women Empowerment and Demographic Dividend (SWEDD) Africa Regional

Project.

The first ladies of Africa and the organisation also offered their role in disseminating the information and creating awareness, and they are also working with other International Organisations and UN agencies to push Saleema.

I think there is a very positive impact of Saleema in the

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countries that still practice female filtration at high rates.

I believe this impact will help us in having Africa free of FGM in two decades if this initiative continues to be implemented.

If the wider community, organisations and the media get involved then Africa will be free from this awful, traditional practice.

On how FGM limits women from fulfilling their full potential I championed many actions against FGM and other UNFPA campaigns as the African Union Youth Envoy.

I have been subjected to hurtful cultural practices and rituals from my hometown in Tunisia. Such practices among others always

claim to protect women’s virginity but it is all about controlling women’s bodies and their choices. I was psychologically damaged and have met many other girls with health-related problems from FGM and cultural practices. The basic

thing a woman needs is to own her voice, where she has the right to challenge things affecting her psychological and physical well-being.

On importance of FGM Awareness Campaign

Aya Chebbi,

The First Youth Envoy of African Union Speaks for The Youth Ms Aya Chebbi is the first African Union Youth Envoy and the youngest diplomat at the African Union Commission Chairperson’s Cabinet (2018 – 2021).

Aya shares her views on actions against FGM and her recommendations to help change the narrative by 2030 in an interview with us.

With 65% of Africa’s population being under the age of 30, I represented not only the most youthful population in the world but the most innovative and educated. As a generation of change-makers, we want to see and shape a new model of leadership in Africa. The issues faced by the African youth are very complex as most youths are marginalised, unemployed and insecure about the political 48

landscapes which they occupy. We end up with a generation in waithood, waiting for adulthood, unable to achieve financial freedom because of inequality, especially when we show the intersections of class, gender, race, and other relations of power.

FGM awareness campaigns should include the cycle of violence that happens in the process of FGM. This is one of the many harmful practices affecting our community. In my opinion, we should intensify the conversations on GBV and FGM. This is a cycle and we need to explain it as it is; it is a cycle whereby we come to accept that the more girls go through FGM, the

more likely they would go through child marriage, drop out of school, and become dependent. Being dependent will hinder anyone from contributing to their fullest potential, thus to society.

That said, it’s a cycle for girls and women because they cannot break out due to the psychological and physical effects on them. We should also sensitise society that FGM is not a myth, but

a reality. An end to FGM should be a priority because any violence against women contributes to the cycle of women being trapped in inequality. Patriarchies are using this as a weapon to trap women in inequalities.

It is essential to build an equal and equitable society and this can start when we all know it is our job to contribute to society.

On the effective measures to overcome FGM? We need to, first of all, recognise and accept that we live in a society where FGM/GBV is rampant. Most people in the communities are in denial of FGM and GBV being violations of women’s rights and girls’ bodies. It is so astonishing, to listen to debates where there is a complete denial of that and listening to analyses that don’t relate FGM and GBV to human rights or security. Both GBV and FGM

are violent and therefore, this is an issues of peace and security. It is a crime and it should be treated like that.

Governmental institutions should put in place progressive policies that criminalise GBV including FGM and this should include the implementation process. We advocate for policy change and drive all of our efforts into it, only to see it go down the drain

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a few years down the line.

All these should go hand in hand while we engage in the community and foster an enabling environment.

We should amplify the voices of survivors and work together to end the stigma, open conversations to centre the issues around survivors’ voices and that of organisations leading this work on the ground.

“How can I put my daughters through that?”

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bdel Rehim was undecided on subjecting his two daughters to FGM, despite it being common practice in his village. Every time he brought up the topic with his wife, she would change the subject, having been cut herself

“I was always hesitant,” says the 30 year old father, “because my community does it to protect girls, thinking that through this, they are controlling their desires and setting them on a proper path.”

Norwegian Embassy in Cairo, UNFPA partners with Care International to raise community awareness on the harms of FGM and other harmful practices. To help him decide, Abdel Rehim attended awareness raising sessions on FGM in his village in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Assiut.

Under the UNFPAUNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM, and with the support of the Royal “During the first

session the trainer asked us to divide ourselves: pro-FGM against FGM and undecided,” he recalls, “I went to the neutral zone; I was really undecided and every discussion with family and friends would sway me from pro to against and vice versa.”After learning that FGM is a violation of the law, religion and human rights, Abdel Rehim says he was shocked to discover that FGM was such a crime.

Abdel Rehim returned home to his wife and asked her if she remembers the day she was cut.

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Her reply was even more shocking, she said, “Yes of course I do, it was the worst day of my life, I thought I was going to die’,” Abdel Rehim says his wife continued to describe the harrowing experience in full detail. She explained the pain she felt along with the side effects and most

My daughters are the most precious thing to me, and I would protect them against anything importantly the feeling of betrayal by her family.

“Her reply made everything crystal clear,” he says, “how are we even considering subjecting our daughters to that? I am not going to put my daughters through such an agonizing experience.”

Abdel Rehim explains that he would never think about betraying his daughters’ trust by exposing them to what he describes as an

“inhumane” experience. He adds that such a practice would destroy their lives and cause long-term trauma.

“My daughters are the most precious thing to me, and I would protect them against anything,” he says, ”if being shamed by my family and community is the price I have to pay to protect them, then so be it.”

Abdel Rehim is now one of Care’s volunteers , conduct ing FGM awareness sessions, engaging men and boys training and advocating against FGM through every chance he gets. He also publicly declared his position against FGM. UNFPA and Care International developed a manual on engaging men and boys around harmful practices to enhance positive masculinities and behaviours around gender and end FGM.

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Survivor Stories

Survivor Stories

– Father becomes an advocate against FGM

EQUALITY NOW Pushes for change!

Equality now is a powerful instrument strengthening the work on Gender Equality and human rights within the Horn of Africa, and communities. the work on Gender Equality and human rights within the Horn of Africa and communities. Equality Now pushes for States’ accountability towards the realisation of gender equality in line with International and Regional Human Rights Conventions they have signed and ratified. To this end, we push for States to put in place laws prohibiting hile FGM and therefore strengthening protecting women and girls Multi-sectoral from FGM. Having a law in measures place enables women and to eliminate FGM will girls to enforce their rights involve addressing root and seek accountability from causes including gender the government through the inequality, and harmful social court. norms, integrating FGM in humanitarian actions, Equality Now together accountability measures with its partners, such as particularly enhancing Institute for Human Rights the monitoring role of the and Development in Africa NHRIs is equally critical (IHRDA), Association and important. This is even Malienne pour le Suivi et more urgent as UNFPA l’Orientation des Pratiques and partners take forward Traditionnelles (AMSOPT), the implementation of the and Association pour le commitment of the Nairobi Progrès et la Défense des summit on the ICPD 25, Droits des Femmes au Mali reflective of the reaffirmed (APDF), are seeking to hold commitment to zerothe Government of Mali to tolerance FGM. The role of account for failing to protect Equality Now has been very women and girls from FGM instrumental in strengthening in line with its human rights

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obligations before the ECOWAS Court of Justice.

In Kenya, the Prohibition against FGM Act (the AntiFGM Act) was challenged in court as unconstitutional for not allowing women the right to practice their culture.

The issue at hand was the right to consent to FGM, which Equality Now as one of the Interested Parties to the case opposed, as FGM is recognised as a form of torture and the right to be protected from torture is a non-dirigible right.

Therefore, the Anti-FGM Act was declared constitutional strengthening the campaign against FGM.

of the governments to allocate more funding to programs ending FGM and to the bodies coordinating national activities on FGM. Equality Now recognises that FGM cannot end only through the presence and implementation of law alone, therefore there is a need to engage the community to change social and gender norms.

has to consider the case of new infections at that time and in that region . When the cases are high, the session has to be postponed to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. Programmatically, it has shown the glaring gap in the provision of safe spaces for girls fleeing FGM and victims of FGM, as during the height of the pandemic, they were forced The NHRIs could support and to stay at home. Consequently, strengthen the campaign to end we are advocating for the FGM by highlighting FGM in their establishment of safe spaces and annual report on human rights and shelter in every county/region and also when submitting their reports for their funding to enable them to to the International and Regional deliver service to those who need Human Rights mechanisms. it the most.

Additionally, joint implementation of activities with the FGM Equality Now plans to continue Coordinating mechanisms would its training of state actors on be instrumental in showing that access to justice for survivors of FGM is a human rights issue that FGM and advocacy with political should concern everyone and not and traditional leaders on the just a women’s rights issue. implementation of laws ending FGM, and more budgetary COVID has impacted how we allocation for FGM prevention and work because any activity response programs. Funding is an concerning community awareness

The HRC Resolution has been advantageous to Equality Now as it gives strength to what they have been advocating for, particularly the adoption and strengthening of the multisectoral approach to end FGM, the need to build the capacity of all government actors that come into contact with survivors of FGM, the need to have more shelters and safe spaces for women and girls, and the importance 53

important component and without it, it is impossible to speak of law or implementation. We intend to encourage the coordinating mechanisms to collaborate more with the NHRIs in their respective countries.

The voices of FGM survivors remain the core of our advocacy against FGM. Therefore, we intend to give more survivors opportunities to share their stories and continue to push for accountability from state actors to ensure that there is access to justice for all FGM survivors.

Additionally, we will use their stories to push the government to strengthen law implementation to protect other women and girls from undergoing this harmful practice.

The ‘Unfinished Journey’

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ith the commitment of 10 governments and the European Union, nearly 70 million people have been reached in 17 countries over the past 13 years through the UNFPA-UNIC EF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM, the largest global programme to accelerate the

elimination of FGM. In Ethiopia, despite the current conflict and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in several parts of the country, half a million people were reached through the joint programme in 2020, with critical radio and TV programmes on FGM prevention and awareness. UNFPA estimates that 16% of girls below the age of 14 are subjected to FGM in Ethiopia, and 65 percent among girls and women aged 15 to 49. The weekly radio show Yalaleke Guzo is part of the Ethiopian Government’s efforts to lower these rates.

Yalaleke Guzo, the “Unfinished Journey”, is a talk show in Amharic language targeting the Southern nations, nationalities and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia, with a variety of entertainment and education messages on the adverse effects of FGM and child marriage.

Recently, Shamu Molo, an ex-soldier from the Kibet Woreda, Slitie zone, called the radio show to discuss the various inter-generational attitudes towards FGM and child marriage. “I have four daughters,” said Shamu. “My wife and I have agreed not to circumcise them. However, my mother, who is the grandmother of our children, wants our daughters to get circumcised because she thinks that uncircumcised girls do not get married.”

By tuning into Yalaleke Guzo and participating in interviews, Shamu was able to start conversations with his family, friends and neighbours about the harmful effects of FGM and to advocate for putting an end to it.

“We are proud to see that our support of Yalaleke Guzo is producing such amazing results in the Ethiopian kebeles,” said Mireille Tushiminina, Coordinator of the UNFPAUNICEF Joint Programme, which is supported by Austria, the European Union, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden, United States of America and the United Kingdom.

“We believe the radio talk show can play an important role in raising awareness of this harmful practice and in-turn, change people’s entrench perceptions about it, one listener at a time.”

Produced in 2020 by the Population Media Center in partnership with the UNFPA/ UNICEF Joint Programme, it is scheduled to run throughout 2022. Its various programmes, including interviews, short

To overcome these differences, Shamu suggested that efforts to abandon the practice should start at the household level. Once awareness-raising initiatives, such as the Yalaleke Guzo talk show, start changing opinions at home, efforts to alter societal attitudes can be

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more successful.

Makeya Wudie, a fifth-grade student from the SNNP region contacted Yalaleke Guzo to help raise awareness of the dangers on FGM in her community. “As soon as i Iearned of my mother’s secret plan [to have me subjected to the practice], I escaped from home and reported the case to the kebele women’s representative”.

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Survivor Stories

Survivor Stories

With funding from partners, Ethiopian radio talk shows aim to end fgm

stories, health tips, audio plays and others, encourage listeners to change social norms and abandon FGM and other harmful practices.

Inspirational Field Experience in Senegal A concerted effort to end FGM

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teve Jobs once said, “the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work…” My recent 10-day trip to Senegal showed me the power of transformation and empowerment. A truly great work of which I certainly want to be part of. My visit to Senegal formed a part of my internship with the Joint Programme team of UNFPA and UNICEF on the elimination of FGM. FGM remains a critical

issue in various countries.

More than 200 million girls and women today have undergone FGM and as per the estimates, nearly 65 million girls will be cut between 2015 and 2030.

The need to take action is imminent and my trip mainly focussed on strengthening efforts to end FGM. It had two main objectives, firstly, to organise the youth roundtable conference for which I was one of the focal points, and secondly, a field 56

trip to provide programmatic support by the Joint Programme on important initiatives to end FGM. a) Youth Roundtable Conference The first phase of the trip involved the youth roundtable conference. The primary goal of the conference was to bring young leaders from different regions together and chart the way forward for the next phase (Phase IV) of the Joint Programme

for ending FGM by 2030. The four days conference held in Somone brought people from nearly every country in Africa which included Egypt, South Africa, Djibouti, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Kenya, The Gambia and many others. Participants from Yemen also joined the event and a few participants from some other countries such as Indonesia and Colombia.

Meeting so many people from such diverse backgrounds and listening to the work they had been doing in their respective countries was an eye-opener. The event brought the experiences of the people to the forefront and ensured that no one is left behind. The discussion in the conference ranged from shifting the unequal power structures to ensuring adequate access to SRHR, directly tying up with the UNFPA’s strategic plan of 20222025. Even outside the conference room, the conversations focused on the struggles and challenges that people especially women and girls face in their society and how they try to overcome them in their daily lives. A young girl from The Gambia narrated the harms of FGM and the struggles of women and girls through powerful poetry. At the crux of it, the conference provided a safe space to discuss critical issues around GBV and harmful practices. It provided a concrete roadmap for the engagement of the youth towards various initiatives which included filling the gap for lack of data, addressing cross border FGM, initiating community-based Alternative Rites of Passage, engaging with security officials/ government for implementation of

laws against FGM, and providing equal access to SRHR to the people.

where we were told about another project, spearheaded by the grandmothers of the town. The project focused on intergenerational dialogue to spread the message against b) Field visits FGM. Teachers, religious leaders, Post the completion of the grandmothers, and several others conference we began our journey work together to bring an end towards the south of Senegal to to the practice. We attended a the towns of Kolda and Velingara. session where the grandmothers A minibus was arranged for the engaged with young children team. The journey from Somone under a tree. Through games and to the south of Senegal took cultural practices, they spread nearly 10 hours. We crossed awareness on various issues. We through The Gambia, a country took part in the game and danced that is nestled inside Senegal, alongside as a part of the cultural aunique territorial dynamic,result dialogue. For a moment, we were of a colonial compromise between a part of their community. the erstwhile French and the English.

After arriving late at night in Kolda, the next day we headed to a school where we were apprised about the project ‘New Deal’ that aimed at preventing teenage pregnancies and helped in empowering young girls.

They were trained to be selfreliant and taught to produce their own goods. We were welcomed cheerfully and many of the girls shared their stories of personal struggles. One of the girls narrated how she lost her ability to walk after she was cut as a child. Her personal accounts and hardships left many of us emotional. The pain and anger she must be feeling must be immeasurable. The school was helping these girls get back on their feet by providing them access to SRHR and making them self-reliant. An inspiring work that needs to be told far and wide.

The next day we headed to the nearby town of Velingara 57

c) Concluding thoughts Watching all these people work in synergy was like seeing a change in the making. It makes me go back to what Steve Jobs said about doing great work and loving what we do. The work that UNFPA has been doing is truly transformational, positively impacting the lives of people.

I am fortunate to be a part of the process and would certainly continue on this path. There are many memories and experiences that I am taking back from Senegal. It was a trip that I will remember for a long time.

Giant Steps to Eradicate FGM in Senegal A one on one interview with Senegalese Human Right Committee Coordinator

M

What are the main steps taken by Senegal regarding the HRC 44/16 and the Primer?

Despite all the efforts made by Governments, Organisations and groups over the years to help reduce violence against women, the results are not encouraging. What do you think is the reason for this and how can we move forward?

Based on your political and high-level advocacy and collaboration with member states and the Human Rights Council dimension, what practical suggestions would you share for implementing HRC 44/16, including gender transformative approaches?

In my opinion, the States should work on an

must put in place common strategies.

The Resolution is relatively recent as well as the Primer, so my recommendation to the Ministry of the Family, which is in charge of coordinating these actions, is to be conscious of this Resolution, its implications and supporting systems.

One of our key steps this year will be to approach them to find the right synergy to promote both the Resolution and the Primer’s agenda.

r. Abdoulaye MAR is the Coordinator of the Senegalese Human Rights Committee, part of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights), the leading UN entity on human rights. They represent the world’s commitment to the promotion and protection of the full range of human rights and freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Mr Mar’s interview will share an insight on what Senegal is doing on HRC44/16, the Primer and will also share a general opinion on Human Right Issues.

FGM constitutes archaic, social and cultural norms with serious consequences on the sexual and reproductive health of girls and women, and as such are considered serious human rights violations that we strongly condemn. We support all initiatives of the State of Senegal to eradicate this practice which is still a reality in the country, especially in the North and South. I welcome the adoption of Resolution 44/16 which reminds States of the persistence of the practice of FGM, reminding them of their obligation to respect their commitments to eradicate this practice, while declining its provisions of strategies and axes of intervention whose implementation could help them a lot in the fight.

it to re-orientate its mechanism and its strategies on actions against FGM. It will also be very practical to organise sharing and sensitisation sessions for the actors of the judicial system (Magistrates, Lawyers, etc).

internal appropriation of Resolution 44/16 in a very practical way, by disseminating and popularising the Resolution among the actors and stakeholders.

They should equally work with the communities, and in local languages as well as disseminate informations among youth organisations, women’s organisations, grassroots community organisations, women’s groups and health professionals. Organise sharing and discussion sessions on the content of the Resolution with the NHRI and civil society on the provisions of the Resolution. This would allow 58

Absolutely, but you have to remember that positively advancing social and cultural norms have never been an easy task. To achieve this, it is necessary to have a synergy of actions, a constant mobilisation and strategies adapted to local realities in order to change mentalities. We need programs that mobilise community actors, women, religious and customary authorities, local leaders, young people in school clubs, and grassroots community organisations, combining education and awareness, information sharing, and good practices.

Sometimes it is difficult because the populations tend to move. If the repression against this practice is strong in Senegal, people can cross the borders to have their children exercised in the sub-region. The fight against this practice must then be concerted, and the States

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Stephanie Okereke-Linus

Champions

U

NFPA Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal Health in West and Central Africa Stephanie Okereke-Linus is a die-hard advocate for women and girls’ health.

Okereke Linus is the Executive Director of Extended Hands Foundation; an NGO that helps to facilitate free treatment for women and girls with obstetric fistula.

Her efforts as a strong advocate for the rights of women and adolescent girls, including their rights to education, access to reproductive healthcare and information, caught the attention of the UNFPA and so she was appointed by UNFPA to help drive the agenda to raise awareness on related issues.

Stephanie is best known for her award winning movie DRY, produced in 2015.

The movie told the story of millions of young girls in Africa who are forced to be child brides. In the film, Stephanie put the spotlight on the sorrow, pain and health complications that arise from child marriage in northern Nigeria.

Stephanie released the awardwinning movie, Dry, in 2014, a movie which addressed issues around FGM. For many, that was a huge peep for the award-winning actress, producer and 60

director, who has undoubtedly devoted her time and resources to advocating for the rights of women and adolescent girls, as evidenced in her feature film as a director. Stephanie in the conversation below describes some of the achievements and milestones in her advocacy. DRY was declared the Overall Best Movie at the 2016 edition of the AMVC Awards and the Best Narrative Feature at the 2016 edition of the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, United States.

How she Leverage DRY As recorded by Stephanie Dry is more than just a movie; it’s an advocacy tool. And since its release, that’s all we have been focused on. We have taken Dry across the world and it has been instrumental in contributing to major policy changes and awareness creation on fistula, child marriage, maternal health and more. Dry was instrumental to the ban on child marriage in The Gambia. We have also highlighted the importance of quality maternal health in Nigeria and we have begun to see many traditional rulers and

Our biggest success is the lives we have changed. Dry was the inspiration behind the Extended Hands Foundation, a charity organisation I started, which has so far provided free fistula surgeries to fistula patients in Nigeria. The film has been translated into different languages and we have screened it in several Nigerian communities, including Sokoto and Borno. The impact it had so far has been overall positive, but we are not relenting. Our goal is to eradicate fistula and improve maternal health care in Africa.

Her interest in girl-child advocacy The fact that there is so much injustice in the world is enough reason to get anyone interested in advocacy.

When I was a student at the University of Calabar, I heard the harrowing stories of some young girls in northern Nigeria who did not have access to education and quality maternal health care. These girls are married off as children, get pregnant and become incontinent after a difficult labour. They end up being rejected by their husbands, family and society. I was distraught by this terrible injustice and knew then that I had to do something about it. That thought never left my mind, and several years later, I was in a better position to use my craft-acting and filmmaking to make a difference.

That’s how it started. The greatest

fulfilment I get is when I see lives change because of our stories.

Her success through DRY When we created Dry, we had a simple but ambitious goal to eradicate fistula and end child marriage in Africa.

I believed the movie would have a positive impact but I had no idea what form it would take. I’m humbled that it had such a huge impact, and this has motivated us to do even more.

Dry has now been translated into different languages and screened across different communities. We are taking the film into the nooks and crannies of the African continent, ensuring that community leaders, policymakers, parents, children and everyone who needs the message, hear it. Dry is more than just a film; it’s a movement against injustice, child marriage, GBV, FGM, rape, poor maternal health care, fistula and much more. The message behind Dry will continue to be relevant because it is a timeless piece. So, yes, I’m elated but there’s still a lot of work to be done, and we are not relenting.

As a champion, Stephanie continues to support UNFPA to help raise awareness on FGM and GBV while encouraging laws to protect the girl child as well as aid investments for young people.

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Champions

Raising Awareness Through Creative Concepts

policymakers taking this more seriously.

Kenya’s GBV Helpline

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he calls of the national helpline for GBV was one of the first signs that all was not well. It was December 2020, about nine months into Kenya’s nationwide measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.

After he received a distressing call, Peter*, a tele-counsellor for the national helpline, dispatched an ambulance to a village in Elgeyo Marakwet County.

“The caller reported that two young sisters had undergone FGM and both were experiencing excessive bleeding. One of them had fainted,” says Peter.

increase the capacity of the helpline’s database for improved data collection and use. The new database “The pandemic helped raise the captures information on a set alarm on the safety of women of indicators, with the aim of and girls,” says Jane*, the lead strengthening the response to tele-counselor. “It also revealed and prevention of GBV. The the social and economic disaggregated data will better vulnerabilities that expose them inform planning. to violence.

providing security during the rescue operation, the girls received medical attention before being transferred to a local health facility.

FGM was outlawed in Kenya a decade ago. The sisters are currently staying in a safe house, where they will receive support to continue with their education.

“The FGM practitioner was arrested after further investigations by the area chief. She will not be harming any other girls,” says Peter.

Calls for help rose more than three-fold by December last year, Kenya’s national tollfree helpline number, HAK 1195, where Peter works, had Peter contacted the Kenya Red received more than 6,000 calls Cross Society. With the police from GBV survivors seeking

For seven years she has worked on the team of telecounsellors providing 24 hour services to survivors. This includes psychosocial support and access to services such as health care, shelters, legal aid, police assistance and emergency ambulance rescue.

The helpline is operated by a local non-profit organisation, Healthcare Assistance Kenya (HAK), in partnership with the Ministry of Public Service and Gender. UNFPA and UN Women provide technical and financial support and raise public awareness of the helpline to enhance access to GBV services during the COVID-19 crisis.

At the height of the lockdown, UNFPA supported HAK to

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“The data helps us map out the different types of GBV, including the most commonly reported, where they occur, and the ‘people’ most affected,” says UNFPA GBV/Gender Advisor, Caroline Murgor.

Shared with the government and other partners of the GBV Technical Working Group, the data has helped quantify the extent of the problem. They are used to design policies and programmes based on evidence.

Ending FGM in Kenya by 2022.

Kenya has an FGM prevalence of 21%, while the government has committed to eliminating the practice by 2022, trends in the helpline data show that the harmful practice is one of the 63

Survivor Stories

Survivor Stories

using data to tackle the culture of silence and secrecy on FGM and other harmful practices

services. This represents a 360% increase in cases recorded during 2019.

least reported forms of GBV.

information on the helpline.

HAK Director, Fanis Lisiagali attributes this to the culture of silence and secrecy that surrounds the practice.

Survivor Stories

At the Generation Equality Forum held in Paris, France, President Uhuru Kenyatta committed to introducing a module on GBV “Looking at the data, in the 2022 Kenya we can identify Demographic Health the areas where Survey. This will more advocacy and strengthen the use of awareness is needed gender statistics in the to empower women to design and scale-up speak up against FGM of FGM and GBV and all forms GBV ,” programmes, in line she says. with the presidential plan on ending FGM. Through the Joint Programme on the “It is my personal Elimination of FGM/C, commitment to end UNFPA has supported FGM in Kenya by the various community end of my tenure,” dialogues and said President awareness campaigns Kenyatta. using community radio to sensitize the public on preventing and responding to FGM. Through these efforts, more than 1 million people have been reached with

The FGM-toll-free helpline number, HAK 1195,...received more than 6,000 calls from GBV survivors seeking services *Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality.

Cover Feature,

They play a keypart ! won’t see a change”.

The Grammy-winning artist, Ms. Kidjo, who was born in Benin, urges all States to sign up to UN HRC 44/16, which calls for global action against FGM.

“Let’s not allow our daughters to suffer the pain we’ve undergone”, says Ifrah Ahmed, in continuous advocacy through the Ifrah Foundation.

Angelique Kidjo Renowned singer and songwriter Angelique Kidjo is the Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF and a passionate advocate for girls’ education. Her advocacy challenges African leaders to be at the forefront of efforts to eradicate FGM, which she says, “diminishes” women and sought to destroy their identity.

She urges all UN Member States and communities to outlaw FGM/C and raise awareness about its harmful effects, especially in African countries where the practice is most prevalent.

She states, “We can have help from around the world, but if there is no political will… we

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Somalian parents to seek medical attention for their children who had experienced FGM.

Ifrah Ahmed Ifrah Ahmed is an FGM survivor, activist and UNHCR’s High Profile Supporter. A staunch advocate for the elimination of FGM, a victim herself; she has successfully spearheaded the establishment of legislation banning the practice in Ireland. The 2020 film, ‘A Girl from Mogadishu’ inspired by Ifrah’s life experience through trafficking, FMG and refugee camps, drew the attention of the global community and Somalia in particular on the horrors of FMG and more. Her participation in the UNHCR six-part series, ‘Too Much Pain: The voices of refugee women’ in 2014, spurred 65

Mariam Dahir Mariam Dahir, a medical doctor and an anti-FGM activist, was influenced by the effects of FGM experienced with her patients. In taking actions for the elimination of this practice, she decided to address through education, which saw the inclusion of FGM in the medical curriculum, while working alongside the UNPF to address these issues in Somalia.

She indicates that “things are changing [...] More people are speaking out against FGM in

Somaliland.”

Efe Eric Ambrose Efe Eric Ambrose is a Nigerian professional footballer (former Celtic player), who advocates with the global movement sponsored by the UNFPA on actions against FGM. He has joined forces with his two daughters, backing a campaign to end FGM in a video clearly expressing his stance saying: “My daughter is Born Perfect. Say no to FGM”.

the lead campaigner in The Guardian’s ‘End FGM’ Guardian Global Media Campaign. Her activism culminated in the banning of FGM in The Gambia.

Passionate about the course, she indicates, “These issues are personal to me, they’re part of my life history. We won’t have equality until girls can grow up with control over their own bodies and future,” she states. “I am proud to join UN Women in their fight for the rights of women and girls all over Africa. I want to see the day when no parent makes a decision that will change and limit the lives of their daughters. The girls of Africa and worldwide need to know that their future is bigger than they imagine.”

through research solutions to the why, the how and the outcomes of FGM. In her talk at Women Deliver 2019, the world’s largest conference on gender equality, about what it will take to end FGM and what keeps her fighting, she stated ‘If you want to end FGM, you need to think about spreading the movement and changing this norm within an ethnic group. This is why we talk a lot about cross-border issues.’

Jaha Dukureh Jaha Dukureh is Founder and Executive director of ‘Safe Hands for Girls’, which has as objective to end FGM in The Gambia. Dukureh was subjected to FGM at just a week old. She has been

Dr. Nafissatou Diop is the Chief of Branch, Gender and Human Rights Branch, Technical Division, UNFPA, in accelerating change in support of government efforts to eradicate FGM and address gender inequality.

She believes that advocacy is based on providing evidence 66

Nimco Ali OBE is a leading voice in the UK and globally on violence against women and girls. As CEO of The Five Foundation and The Global Partnership To End FGM, she brings a wealth of both first-hand and professional experience in how to best protect and promote the rights of women and girls.

Nimco has spearheaded the campaign to elevate FGM as a priority issue in the UK and globally, including persuading Sudan to ban FGM in recent months, and changing the narrative on how grassroots

writing, as well as advocating for sexual and reproductive health and rights. According to the course of his foundation, “not involving men in actions against FGM is like a doctor treating symptoms but ignoring the disease”.

us,” she said.

Tiken Jah Fakoly

Rugiatu Turay

Nimco Ali OBE

Dr. Nafissatou Diop

efforts to end FGM on the African continent and beyond need to be properly funded.

She told the UK government, “I am delighted to advise the UK government on its pivotal efforts to end violence against women and girls on an independent basis.”

Rugiatu Turay is a Sierra Leonean women’s rights activist and anti-FGM campaigner. Turay takes action for the abolition of FGM through her organisation, the Amazonian Initiative Movement (AIM). She is also a member of the Soroptimist Six activist group, which is backed by the SI Road to Equality’s President’s Appeal. Rugiatu Turay has been awarded the Theodor Haecker Human Rights Prize for her efforts in Sierra Leone to end FGM and says, “I decided that we needed to engage these people. They needed to know that we have ran away from violence committed to us by people and we are now perpetuating that violence on

Tiken Jah Fakoly is an Ivorian reggae singer. He uses his music to talk about the struggles and fears of people in African society, including those experiencing FGM. The king of reggae performed a song written specifically for and dedicated to this cause during a concert in ASMARA, Eritrea in 2012 to raise awareness about FGM. This, in turn, is expected to have a significant impact on changing behaviours and attitudes, resulting in a gradual increase in societal awareness of the effects of FGM.

Tony Mwebia Tony Mwebia, Founder & Executive Director Men End FGM is an award-winning SDG 5 Advocate who focuses on ending FGM through grassroots campaigns and 67

Shinina Shani Shinina Shani works at Angelican Development Service South Rift as a resource mobilizer and gender advocate officer. Shinina has campaigned against FGM/C for the past 20 years. She gives out her phone number to girls in her hometown of Narok, Kenya, who are trying to avoid being “cut” and says that “the few girls who choose to avoid it are shunned and referred to as cowards and fake Maasais.

They believe it is a bad omen to remain “uncut” and have children,” she told Daily Nation newspaper.

An FGM Practitioner Now Protects Children From FGM. Kunka Kebele Gode Woreda, Somali Region

“I

learned the skill from my mother, ” says Nimo Hussen (a woman who is approximately 55 years old), from Kunka Kebele (sub-district) in the somali region who started circumcision work at the age of 22.

Nimo says that her mother was a very well-known FGM Practitioner in the community. “Everyone knew my mother. All our relatives used to come to her to circumcise their daughters.” After accompanying her mother during these events, she remembers the first day she went alone to circumcise a 12-year-old relative, “I was so scared when I went to their home and refused to

circumcise the girl, but my relatives pushed me and told me that if my mother could do it, so could I.” Nimo explains that even though her mother did not charge money, she did.

Nimo had also circumcised her three daughters before the age of 10. she says, “I didn’t circumcise my last born because by the time she was born, I had learned about the consequences of FGM and stopped circumcising. There were different trainings and community dialogues that I participated on the consequences of FGM. We learned about a girl’s difficulty during her period and women’s prolonged labour during birth.”

Kunka has reduced FGM through engaging members of the community in regular community conversations, conducting educational interventions and tracking using surveillance mechanisms and the Anti Harmful Traditional Practice (HTP) committee.

Surveillance committees include members of the community such as religious and community leaders, representatives of women development groups, ex-circumcisers, and members of kebele administration who raise awareness of Harmful

religious leaders. They play a critical role in coordinating the efforts of different actors, exchanging information and experience. Dehab states, “Community conversation has helped us reduce FGM in our kebele, and people like Nimo have played a huge role in changing the community’s wrong perceptions towards FGM by being a member of the group and speaking up at the community conversation sessions. Nimo teaches from her lived experience, which has helped to convince the community to change

She states, “They never paid my mom. Sometimes they gave her milk, other times butter. Things changed over time, and I started getting paid 50 ETB (equivalent to approximately USD 1.25) in the beginning. It later increased to 100 ETB and then to 300 ETB.” She said she would circumcise at least 10 girls per month. With the

UNICEF Ethiopia/2021/Tadesse 22 March 2021 68

exception of her lastborn child,

UNICEF Ethiopia/2021/ TadesseNimo Hussen and her daughter Nechima Abdi inside their home in Kunka Kebele, Gode. © UNICEF Ethiopia/2021/ Tadesse

Kunka Kebele is located in Gode woreda (district) in the Somali region with a population of 109,718, of whom 43% are women (CsA, 2007). The majority of the residents are farmers while 27% of them are pastoralists.

(CsA, 2007) Dahab Hashee, Women’s Development Group (WDG) representative in Kunka kebele, explains the community in

Practices and report cases to authorities through undertaking surveillance and tracking. Anti HTPs committee members usually comprise members of the government structure such as the kebele administrator/manager, health extension worker, school principal, and representatives from the community such as the community police and

wrong perceptions about FGM.” Nimo expresses that initially learning about the consequences of FGM was overwhelming saying, “My mother and I had both been circumcising for years.

Nobody told us that it is a harmful practice. I had thought that it was a practice every girl had to go through as a religious requirement.

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Survivor Stories

Survivor Stories

A CHANGE OF HEART

Survivor Stories

sad for the girls I had circumcised and my own daughters too. I promised Allah that I would never circumcise a girl. However, there was a time that I struggled financially and honestly thought about returning to the practice because it was a difficult time for my family and i, but I remembered my promise to Allah and all the things I learned.

Through time I kept my promise to never circumcise again. I won’t be the reason for a young woman’s suffering.”

In Kunka Kebele, members of the FGM surveillance committee, usually three to five members per visit go door-to-door to visit

households. Halimo Muhammed (a woman who is approximately 45 years old), one of the surveillance committee members, says that such visits also discourage parents from circumcising their daughters. she states that “we visit five households every day. We ask about their daughter’s well-being and check if they have sent them to their relatives in rural areas.

That usually happens when they want them to get circumcised, so we immediately report it to the kebele administration.”

Dahab highlights that “even though FGM practice in Kunka Kebele has significantly decreased,

UNICEF Ethiopia/2021/TadesseNimo Hussen with her friends Dahab Hashee, BOWCYA kebele level and Halimo Muhammed, FGM prevention committee leader (L to R), at her home in Kunka Kebele, Gode.

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still they face challenges due to their surrounding kebeles”. she explains, “There are lots of surrounding kebeles in Gode woreda that still practice FGM but are outside of our target groups. Relatives from those areas often pressure families in our kebele to pick up the practice. A lot of girls are still being circumcised in those kebeles, so we have to include them in our target groups and expand our awareness creation strategies.”

According to the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health survey, 99% of women aged between 15 to 49 years in the Somali Region have undergone FGM. For the region to meet the Sustainable Development Goal target 5.3 to eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and FGM, progress among the younger age group between 15 to 19 would have to be 101 times faster than observed over the last fifteen years to

eliminate FGM by 2030.

UNICEF with support from Global Affairs Canada and in collaboration with the Regional Bureau of Women, Children and Youth (BoWCY), Regional Attorney General and Bureau of Education (BoE) are working to address Harmful Practices (HPs) using a mix of strategies such as capacity building, service delivery, community mobilisation, and Behavior Change Communication (BCC). UNICEF is spearheading efforts with the help of Civil society and Faithbased organisations to engage with communities through community conversations as part of efforts to end FGM.

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Survivor Stories

But religious leaders in our community took part in teaching us that it was wrong, and it didn’t take me time to stop the practice.

Religious leaders know more about the scriptures than I do and their discussion during community conversation is what made me understand that FGM isn’t a religious practice.

Just like the religious leaders, I was willing to teach my community as an ex-circumciser.”

After learning about the harmfulness of the practice, Nimo states that she went to her mosque and promised to never circumcise a girl. “I didn’t know about the consequences of FGM early on, so I felt

The Fearless Activist Against FGM, Child Marriage & Beading

Harmful Cultural Practices in Kenya.

S

amburu Girls Foundation (SGF) focuses on the harmful cultural practices that children in pastoralist communities in Northern Kenya face. It has rescued over 1,000 kids and is currently aiding 315 girls from primary school to university level. Dr Josephine is passionate about what she does and she has been able to travel into an area where few individuals are brave enough to go. Find out more about her work and how she has been able to impact lives in the interview below

When was the first time you decided to stand up against GBV and FGM in particular?

I started rescuing girls way before I registered with the Samburu Foundation in 2008.

I rescued my 10 and 7 year old cousins from child marriage and three years down the line I had rescued 46 girls who all depended on me for schooling, shelter and upkeep. This became very expensive, since I could barely afford to take care of them, so I decided to register with the Samburu Girls Foundation in October 2011. We rescue girls from FGM, child marriage and beading. We have a rescue centre in Samburu, but the girls are drawn from the 4 counties neighbouring Samburu who are also pastoralists and practice the above harmful practices on girls. To date we have rescued 1,243 girls and all of them are in schools at different levels, from preschool to university, and there are a few who have graduated and are

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Champions

Champions

DR. JOSEPHINE KULEA

She has rescued over 1,000 kids and is currently aiding 315 girls from primary school to university level through her organisation

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now working.

ocean, it still counts.

Tell us about ‘beading’. How does it affect women and girls?

Your work has been acknowledged by former President of the United States, Barack Obama, and many organisations, how does this make you feel?

Champions

Have you faced any backlashes against your movement?

I have faced many challenges since the first case, which was my own family. I was cursed by old men from my village for going against traditions, but years later the same old men blessed me because they realised I just wanted the best for the girls. I have also been threatened before, so it has been both a challenging journey and a fulfilling one to see those girls smile for being safe and knowing that although it may be a drop in the

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The acknowledgement of our work by President Obama created awareness on the important work that we are doing at the grassroot level.

It made me feel proud of our achievements so far, but it also got me worried, because many people believe the applause came with financial support for the girls, which wasn’t the case. My message to everyone is this; if you believe in someone’s work, support them. It is not enough to say ‘good work’ and ‘goodbye’, a lot of resources are needed to invest in a girl child education, which is proven solution to most of the harmful practices. A girl in class is a girl in a safe space. To the youth, pursue your dreams but most importantly, pursue your passion because most of the time it ends up being your purpose in life, and also be a global changemaker., and at the same time bring change to the world. This may not be easy, but nothing important has ever been achieved easily, so go for it! *Some of the excerpts from an Interview by Sorotimist International with Dr. Josephine Kulea

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Champions

Beading is a cultural practice among the Samburu, where young unmarried girls between the ages 8-12, who have also not gone through FGM are bought beads in exchange for sex by a man who will not be allowed to marry her because he is considered a clan mate, hence a relative. If the girl conceives in the relationship, she either undergoes crude abortion because they are not allowed to give birth if one has not undergone FGM, or the baby is killed at birth.

Sometimes when girls undergo several abortions, they become infertile.

Not everything we inherit is a gift to be passed on A poem by Justina Kehinde

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Not everything we inherit is a gift to be passed on Not everything we inherit is a gift to be passed on she said As she slipped the soles of her feet from tired bones Bound them in blue ribbon and offer them as something old, something owed These feet calloused and creased were borrowed from Her fathers family tree see, she has been carrying her ancestors Before she could even articulate her own identity This body, this parcel of past generations that creaked under the Weight of traditions and customs began its final journey with a question What are we willing to leave?

She has already left behind her mouth, complete with instructions Explaining how it should laugh where it once weeped And sing where it once screamed Yet also scream and speak and breathe If we are our ancestors wildest dreams then she loved the way Her mouth smiled wider since it had been inherited by her niece She left the dance in her right hip to a nephew Unclasped her spin, that column of courage that had neither Wavered or withered. She knew they will need her backbone In two generations time.

And eyes, eyes that had seen so much tilted heavenwards Towards that never ending sky knowing that there were somethings She will not leave behind. She took the silence with her, that uninvited guest Took the part of her culture that cut bodies until they ended up being less She took the rite of passage that violated her rights, denounced the idea that Goodness is found in cloths that are loose and bodies that are tight She took the culture of blame that had exonerated generations of men From the violence they had wreaked on the bodies, the mind, and the souls of Everyone less powerful than them. She took the low expectations too narrow to give birth to something as wild and wonderful as full autonomous human, she took all her misery, gathered every yes when she wanted to say NO that slipped out of her body Unearthed every twisted conception of love that had dug itself into the soil of her soul for she had eaten from that tree of knowledge and knew that If she left these blighted seeds behind they would only fester and grow Not everything we inherit is a gift to be passed on she said Clasping the scars in her right hand and pain in her left Not everything we inherit is a gift to be passed on if the past is filled with Death and destruction in the end the things that survive Are the things we leave behind it’s true what they say Only death presides when we fail to protect the dignity of life Not everything we inherit is a gift to be passed on We gain more than we lose when we choose to move on 77

100 mothers’ pledges

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hen Halima* was eight, she underwent FGM under the blade of her mother, a traditional birth attendant (TBA).

When she reached adolescence, passing menstrual blood was difficult.

As a newlywed, sex with her husband was painful. And as an expectant mother, childbirth was excruciating with labour dangerously lasting for days.

Despite her suffering, she allowed her first daughter to be cut. “My daughter underwent a type of FGM that consist removing a part or all of the clitoris], and she felt the pain I had been through,” Halima said. But because it was not the more severe pharaonic type (stitching the opening closed), people insulted them, saying her daughter was unclean.

Halima, 50, a mother of five daughters and five sons, now lives at an internally displaced persons’ (IDP) camp on the outskirts of the capital, home to 280 households that fled

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The procedure was painful, with no anesthesia. I bled for days, I was in bed for more than three months and urinating was a problem *Name changed for privacy and protection

Danunay village nearly 250 kilometres away because of insurgent violence.

She is also a camp gatekeeper, or a community member with influence.

Which made her the ideal person to help end the harmful practice she and her daughter endured.

By the numbers According to the 2020 Somali Health and Demographic Survey 99% of women between ages 15 - 49 in Somalia have been subjected to FGM, the majority between ages five and nine. The survey also reports that 72% of women believe it is an Islamic requirement, though some religious leaders have said Islam condemns it.

COVID-19 has raised the risk for girls

to undergo the practice by disrupting preventive programmes or with school closures that parents can use to give their daughters more time to heal.

In 2020, UNFPA provided 52,225 Somali women and girls protection, prevention or care services related to FGM. While there is no national legislation outlawing the practice, Puntland state passed FGM Zero Tolerance Bill last year.

A new way forward As part of UNFPA and the Ifrah Foundation’s Dear Daughter campaign, Halima and other influential women in the camp learned about the harmful effects of FGM, and she shared her personal experience at workshops.

“Throughout the training course, I had flashback memories of how FGM has badly impacted my life,” she said.

Three years ago, a young girl in the camp died as a result of FGM. Now Halima is galvanizing the community so that tragedy is never repeated. And the foundation with the Global Media Campaign to End FGM distributed UNFPA-supplied radio transmitters to 100 households so residents could listen to awareness campaigns. “It has been a long-standing dream of mine to work to save girls from the unnecessary pain and suffering I endured as a result of FGM,” said survivor Ifrah Ahmed, founder of

her namesake foundation. “Halima is an example of how we can change the future for all Somali girls.”

The campaign, launched last fall, “is accelerating the voices of women and men alike to end FGM in Somalia,” said Nkiru I. Igbokwe, GBV specialist at UNFPA in Somalia. “It targets rural and urban individuals and communities that are undertaking extraordinary actions within their sphere of influence to change the FGM narrative.”

Halima’s advocacy has expanded beyond FGM. She encourages pregnant and lactating mothers to visit health centres and raises awareness on sexual and GBV cases. She notes that community members used to stay silent about rape due to fear of stigmatization but now they seek help.

Because of her leadership, almost 100 mothers including Halima’s own and other TBAs have pledged not to practice FGM, sparing about 200 girls in the settlement. “I don’t want my other daughters and other young girls to go through the pain we have gone through,” she said.

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Survivor Stories

Survivor Stories

In Somalia, 100 mothers pledge not to subject daughters to female genital mutilation

Laetitia Ky

Even the Hair Says No To FGM! Laetitia KY, on a mission to fight social injustice through creative hair art

What is your source of inspiration as an artist?

My culture, my experience, the experiences of other women, equality of sexes, the news, an image, a sound, a smell... literally the world around me can inspire me to create a piece.

I was originally inspired by a photo album of the hairstyles of African women before colonisation. Their hair was comparable to sculptures. It made me want to experiment and when I posted the first style, the love and support from my surroundings made me continue until one of my photo series went viral. When I realised my work had an impact, I associated my activism with it.

Black hair is political. It is considered less beautiful than other hair types. Using it to create art is a beautiful way to show that society is wrong. It is a beautiful way to help young black girls be more confident.

Why did you join UNFPA “16 Days of Activism” campaign to share womens’ stories?

Every year on the 25th of November there is an international campaign with activists for the equality of sexes. Last year, I really wanted to participate more. For 16 days, I wanted to speak about something. I’m fighting for myself, but also fighting for other women. When I share things [on social media], most of the time I share my stories but there are also women that follow me, so I questioned, why not share their stories? So I took my phone, and told them about the 16 Days of Activism, saying, “send me your story, I want to share it. It can be anonymous, or I can put your name if you want to have other women relate to it better and to know that they are not alone.” My [personal messages] went wild! I’m not going to lie, I occasionally felt that I should not have started this because it was pretty horrible reading these stories. Seeing so many stories of abuse, violence, and pure cruelty - and seeing that some of those women are still in those situations can be really heartbreaking and was really hard on my mental health. It

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was very difficult. But I’m happy that I did it and I will do it again, even if it’s not easy.

What is your perspective on FGM? Sex-based oppression does exist in some parts of the world, especially if you were born with female biology. Sex-selective abortion and the lack of education on FGM, child marriage, period stigmatisation, teen pregnancy, breast flattening, the right to abortion, gynaecological and obstetrical violence and breastfeeding stigmatisation are

“It happens when she has no means to protect herself. When she is a child or a young girl.

When she is the most vulnerable.

When she can’t have a say over her body. Her body is violated.

Her right to physical integrity is taken, cutting through her body, dignity and future,in the name of social norms, she has no choice but to go through pain, so deep it lasts a lifetime.

In the name of culture, she is dehumanised, humiliated and mutilated. Her fire is controlled, her voice and desire are annihilated, and if she is lucky to survive, she will live a life where

just some areas that we need more women to speak about. This led me to actively take part in the UNFPA campaign to end FGM. You shared a powerful video with UNFPA, what was the key message?

I used my hair to share how I felt about FGM while using my creative hair artistry to communicate it.It was truly fullfilling bringing this to live. Below is the content we shared to thousands of girls, women and the rest of the world.

physical pain, mental pain and trauma are her everyday reality.

Don’t they know the future of our world depends on a healthy young generation?

Don’t they know that the future includes the dignity and health of girls in every nation?

We must protect our girls from this harmful practice, We must protect our girls and not allow any norms to blind and distract us. Because these girls are human, because these girls have a right to be free from discrimination, and protected

from all forms of violence and right’s violations. Because the protection of girls and women are our wealth as a society. And we need to use our voices and actions to show that we care for their prosperity.

Because these girls and women need to have the right to live in a world free from FGM, where they have a voice, choice and agency. Because the life of girls is valuable. We need to fight to end FGM, for a world where every human including women, can thrive.”

Thanks for joining us share more insights Laetitia, together we are stronger and we should continue to use our influence to make this world a place where women will not be discriminated against because of their biology.

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How FORWARD Uses Art to say No to FGM

A

rts and culture builds and binds people together. Culture and art generates social capital and strengthens a community’s character. Music brings people together, through its capacity to tell a community’s shared story, to inspire reflection, and form connections that transcend differences. Music is a way of life for many.

Foundation of Women’s Health Research African women-led women’s right organagainst women and girs has created an (dancers, musicians, song writers and together on a single platform and

and Development (FORWARD), an isation working to end violence international network of artists more) to bring their expertise help end FGM.

Arts provides a unique opportunity a greater audience, so FORWARD for using expressive lyrics, dance, Some examples are “Tradition Runs about bodies) in collaboration with the and many others.

to raise awareness and reach concerts are typically known music etc for this purpose.

Deeper Than Law” (something artist Tamiola, Hidden Scars,

It is worth noting, these the understanding of the tional background of this complexities that sociewhile trying to eradicate artists believe they have sibility to question, take action, so you the movement and what part you’ll like

concerts help deepen cultural and tradipractice and the ties encounter it. The member a social responcomment and should join decide to play.

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“Let’s sing, Cut no more”- Using Music To End FGM in Africa After four months of hard work, Sally Njie and Praise Gimba are proud to release their new song. ‘Cut No More’ delivers a catchy melody but it also shares an important message: warning about the risks of FGM. Even more impressive? It does this in three different languages – Wolof, Mandinka and English.

“This will help the people in the community better understand the message”, says Jama Jack, Project Mentor at partner organisation “Think Young Women”.

Ms. Njie and Ms. Gimba are part of the Tuwezeshe Spotlight Fellows Programme, a one-year programme that is supported by the Spotlight Initiative and implemented by the UNFPAUNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM and FORWARD UK. Fifty young women in Africa and 16 in Europe underwent the training, which aims to eliminate FGM, child marriage and related forms of violence against women and girls by inspiring and nurturing leadership skills and activism among young women from Africa and the diaspora.

However, creating a song in different languages proved to be a challenge. “One obstacle we had with creating the song was language and choosing

the right words to transmit the message across the tribes. After our first recording was done and evaluated, we had to go back to the studio and re-record the song due to terminology issues with the Wolof word for ‘circumcision,’” explained Sally Njie.

“Our supervisor was helpful, she evaluated everything and even shared it with the rest of the team to help make necessary adjustments.”

Both the programme and the song were collaborative and global.

days. So, it will be very hard not to come across our song on any of those platforms, especially when we have some influencers coming on board with the distribution,” said Ms. Njie.

Three female artists agreed to join the project and were involved in the entire songwriting process.

“As a team, we are thrilled. The song we worked on is really beautiful, very catchy and melodious,” said Ms Gimba.

By Fahmia Al-Fotih

“We partnered with three organisations including Nairobibased Akili Dada wa Africa; the Brussels-based End FGM European Network; and Think Young Women, based in Banjull, the Gambia,” said Executive Director of FORWARD, Ms Naana Otoo-Oyortey. “The initiative focused on virtual and in-person intensive feminist leadership training, a sub-grant and mentoring support to conduct social action projects and access to wellbeing support and sisterhood building.”

Ms. Njie and Ms. Gimba also reached out to social media influencers on different platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.

“Most young people are active on social media platforms these 84

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Films, A Powerful Way To Shine The Light

Ethiopia The breathtaking film tackles FGM In an effort to campaign for the urgent need to take action to help end FGM. The UNPF, collaborated with talented Toronto-based filmmaker Sara Elgamal to produce a stunning documentary film, ‘ A Piece of Me’, that focuses on the stories of three Ethiopian women, Zahra, Abida and Khadija,

who refuse to be defined by their past traumas of FGM . In Ethiopia, FGM affects 65% of women and girls today.

The Afar region where Zahra, Abida and Khadija live is one of two regions where prevalence remains high at 91%. It was evident that Sara successfully covered this difficult subject in a powerful,

yet delicate way. The campaign and breathtaking film was unquestionably successful in sparking heavy conversations around an issue that affects the lives of millions of women and girls, as well as conversations we either feel ashamed to discuss or, intentionally or unintentionally forget about.

A Girl From Mogadishu Somalia

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ilms are a great way to tell a story, while opening our eyes to the lives and experiences of things affecting us. Movies on FGM have been produced by many activists to help raise awareness on such practices and to showcase some of the actions others further shine the light.

To generate awareness on those hidden consequences resulting from FGM

practices, to pass the message to the general public, particularly within the African communities where the archaic practices still prevail. UNFPA and other private funders have sponsored the production of such films to keep the movement alive We’ve put together a list of some movies from Africa you can watch to learn more about FGM and GBV.

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A Girl from Mogadishu is the story of how real-life social activist Ifrah Ahmed “came to understand, develop, and employ the most potent of campaign tools, her own true story, and use it to an empowering and extraordinary effect.”

Fleeing war-torn Somalia in 2006, Ahmed (played in the movie by Aja Naomi King) is trafficked to Ireland where a traumatic medical examination when she seeks asylum reveals the extent of her genital mutilation as a child.

Traumatised by the memory, she channels the experience

into a force for change. Ahmed is now one of the world’s leading international activists against GBV and FGM “A Girl From Mogadishu is based on my story, but it is also the story of the 200 million women and girls worldwide who have suffered the consequences of FGM,” said Ahmed. “And while the movie is intended to focus attention on the barbarity and scale of the practice, its ambition is also to empower all young women and girls to have the courage to stand up and speak out.”

The movie trailer ends with this 87

powerful statement from King, as Ahmed: “Whether black or white, we are all women.

Women who are entitled to the same human rights, no matter where we come from”.

AFRICA RISING

Dry

The Grassroots Movement to End FGM

Nigeria

A film by Paula Heredia, Produced by Equality Now

Dry is a Nigerian drama directed by Stephanie Okereke-Linus and based on true life accounts, focusing on the impacts of child marriage. The film centers on the story of a 13-yearold girl, Halima (Zubaida Ibrahim Fagge), whose poor uneducated parents marry her off to Sani (Tijjani Faraga), a 60 year old man who frequently rapes her in the so-called marriage.

Halima becomes pregnant and suffers Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) after child delivery. She starts to experience continuous lack of voluntary control over her urination, and consequently,

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is abandoned by her husband and discriminated against in her community.

very day, 6,000 girls from the Horn of Africa to sub-Saharan nations are subjected to FGM. With fierce determination and deep love for their communities, brave African activists are leading a formidable, fearless grassroots movement to end 5,000 years of FGM. An insightful look at the frontlines of a quiet revolution taking the continent by storm, this extraordinarily powerful film is one of the first to focus on African solutions to FGM.

Zara (Stephanie Okereke), a medical doctor who had a similarly traumatic childhood, meets Halima and tries to help her and other young women and girls facing similar experiences.

The Ford Foundation supported film was awarded Overall Best Movie at the 2016 AMVC Awards. The wide global media coverage of the film is helping to drive important conversations about gender inequality in Nigeria and beyond.

‘Our Voices Matter’ Democratic Republic of Congo

Actions against FGM is not limited to activists and those who have been affected, we should all join in to contribute and send out clear and consistent messages across our network.

Whatever medium we feel comfortable using should be used to create awareness and sensitise our community.

Beautifully directed by Emmy Award® winner Paula Heredia and produced by Equality Now, AFRICA RISING travels through remote villages in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali, Somalia and

Tanzania.

Weaving together dynamic footage and the poignant stories of girls personally affected by FGM, it shows how African women and men are putting an end to this human rights violation.

Convincing circumcisers to lay down their knives, engaging the police to implement the law, and honing leadership skills in girls, these determined activists have been working tirelessly for years to conceptualize their campaign. AFRICA RISING paints an intimate portrait of the broadly-based but littleknown anti-FGM movement and shows that courageous, creative and resourceful individuals can change the course of history.

Another War Liberia

For decades, the DRC has experienced war and widespread insecurity. Women and girls are the most affected in this instability, as with many crises. According to the NGO Mercy Corps, 1 in 10 women and girls in the DRC experienced sexual violence in 2016.

advocating against GBV, features women and girls from North Kivu, South Kivu, and Province Orientale who have experienced sexual violence and come forward to tell their stories. The film is a call to action, demanding justice, medical and economic assistance, and the effective implementation of legislation to prevent and address sexual and GBV.

Our Voices Matter, a 2012 film co-produced by the Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice and

Produced in Liberia, Another War examines the critical issues around sexual GBV. The compelling documentary highlights the voices of rape survivors, frontline health workers, emerging women activists, Liberia’s chief prosecutor for sexual assault crimes, the Minister of Justice, and the Gender Ministry’s

GBV Unit, among others ‘Another War’ follows 20 year old Liberian university student Kula Fofana on her journey as she seeks to explore the experiences and realities of victims of physical and sexual violence in Liberia, and to examine the beliefs and causes surrounding sexual and physical GBV.

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FGM DEVELOPMENT DATA AT A GLANCE FGM, a practice persisting for centuries, is becoming less common Overall, the practice of FGM has been declining over the last three decades. In 30 countries with nationally representative prevalence data, a girl is today one third less likely to be subjected to FGM than she was 30 years ago. However, not all countries have made progress and the pace of decline has been uneven.

Areas where FGM is concentrated are shrinking

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Percentage of girls and women aged 15 to 49 years who have heard of FGM and think the practice should stop, total and among those who have undergone FGM

Despite the gains, FGM remains a global concern Globally, it is estimated that some 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone some form of FGM. If FGM practices continue at recent levels, 68 million girls will be cut between 2015 and 2030 in 25 countries where FGM is routinely

practiced and more recent data are available.

In 2019, it was estimated that 4.1 million girls were at risk of FGM. This number of girls cut each year is projected to rise to 4.6 million girls in the year 2030.

due to COVID-19, two million cases of FGM could occur over the next decade that would otherwise have been averted, resulting in a 33% reduction in progress towards ending FGM practice.

In countries affected by FGM, 7 in 10 girls and women think the practice should end. Even among communities that practise FGM, there is a notable level of opposition. Among girls and women who themselves have been cut, 5 in 10 think the practice should end

UNFPA estimates that

In some countries, the practice remains universal; in others, it is as common today as it was three decades ago Attitudes toward FGM are changing and adolescent girls can lead the way to FGM abandonment Opposition is building.

In the last two decades, the proportion of girls and women in high prevalence countries who want the practice to

stop has doubled.

Adolescent girls are more likely than older women to oppose FGM. In Egypt, Guinea and Sierra Leone, adolescent 92

girls are at least 50% more likely than older women to oppose the practice.

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Even in countries where the practice has become less common, progress would need to be at least 10 times faster to meet the global target of elimination by 2030

An emerging trend is FGM medicalisation FGM has become increasingly medicalised. Around one in four girls and women who have undergone it (26% or 52 million) were cut by health personnel.

This proportion is twice as high among adolescents (34% among those aged 15 to 19 years) compared to older women (16% among those aged 45 to 49 years). Medicalisation rates are highest in five countries: Egypt (38%), Sudan (67%), Guinea (15%), Kenya (15%), and Nigeria (13%) and continue to rise.

The UNFPAUNICEF Joint Programme Achievements Now in its fourth phase of implementation, spanning 2022 - 2030, the Joint Programme confirms the commitment of UNFPA and partners to end this

harmful practice by 2030.

elimination of FGM.

Since its inception in 2008, the Joint Programme has helped more than 6 million girls and women receive prevention, protection and care services related to FGM.

The Joint Programme also helped 17 governments set up national FGM response mechanisms. As of today, 14 countries supported by the Joint Programme have legislation criminalizing FGM, and evidence-based costed national action plans to end FGM.

As a result of community led engagement, some 45.9 million people in more than 34,657 communities in 17 countries with high FGM prevalence have made public declarations to abandon the harmful practice.

Moreover, 578,661 girls were prevented from undergoing the practice thanks to established community-based surveillance mechanisms.

Through advocacy and awareness outreach interventions, some 84.3 million people were reached through radio and TV programmes on FGM prevention, while 41.3 million people actively participated in education/ sensitisation/social mobilisation sessions promoting the

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Following intensive capacity development initiatives, there have been 1,574 cases of legal enforcement to date.

Main Sources: UNICEF, Female Genital Mutilation: a new generation calls for ending an old practice, 2020. https://data.unicef.org/resources/ female-genital-mutilation-a-new-generationcalls-for-ending-an-old-practice/ UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM, Data-for-All platform. https://fgmjp.org UNFPA, Bending the Curve: FGM trends we aim to change, 2018. https://www.unfpa.org/resources/ bending-curve-fgm-trends-we-aim-change UNICEF, The Medicalization of FGM in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, 2021. https://www.unicef.org/esa/media/8866/file/ The-Medicalization-of-FGM-2021.pdf

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A Beacon of Hope The UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM

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vidence continues to suggest that ending FGM is not just about addressing harmful social norms, but involves the protection of women and girls from such a harmful practice.

The prevention and elimination of FGM is strongly challenged by the hidden gender and power dynamics, particularly with the socially constructed gender roles, where social expectations continue to upload associated normative behaviours and attitudes towards the practice. This harmful practice continues to be perpetrated on women and girls, often purposeful to deny them their rights to bodily autonomy, and the full enjoyment of their sexual and reproductive health rights.

Changes in gender and harmful social norms on FGM elimination may happen rather quickly at the local level, particularly if the policy levels do consistently deliver on commitments made through the international instruments, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Conventions on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and the SDGs, among a lot more.

The UN Human Rights Treaty monitoring bodies and special procedures globally issued a series of jurisprudence and normative guidance to include protection from FGM and prohibition of the practice as an obligation, with the clear acknowledgement that FGM is a violation of International Human Rights Law as codified in some regional treaties. For example, Article 5 96

of Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, Article 21 of African Charter on the Rights and the Welfare of the Child, and Article 38 of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combatting violence against women and domestic violence among others.

To address most of the concerns raised, the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM was established. It has become one of the largest global programs solely dedicated to accelerating the abandonment of this harmful practice in all its forms and types. This global program provides a safe space to advance the rights, health and well-being of women and girls of all categories. The programme is implemented in seventeen countries, at global, regional, sub-regional, national and community levels.

The programme’s outcomes are skewed towards legislative reforms, policy development, and service provision, which includes improving access to quality health care, protection, and legal and social services while engaging communities and promoting all-inclusive transformative gender and positive social norms leading to its prevention and total abandonment. Evidence (data and research) and the application of the notion of the Human Rights-Based Approach to this programme delivery, remain a MUST for the programme results.

From the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, girls and women have been

at the center of humanitarian response of the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM ‘Accelerating Change’.

Research shows that when girls and women are involved in prevention and crisis response, it leads to better humanitarian outcomes. By empowering and protecting girls and women, and adapting interventions to ensure continuity of services, while pivoting to prevent and mitigate the risk of GBV and FGM, the Joint Programme has made considerable progress since its inception. This includes in 2020 and 2021, despite facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.This has been achieved in partnership with governments, civil society, women and youthled groups, community leaders, advocates and activists, among other key stakeholders of the Joint Programme.

Despite the challenges experienced globally in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Joint Programme recorded achievements in several areas, including saving 120,605 girls from undergoing FGM and 97

getting 2,156 communities committed by making a public declaration to abandon FGM. The work with Parliamentarians has seen progress in collaborative efforts by the Executive Branch and legislative bodies towards the elimination of FGM, including the most recent Legislative amendment adopted by Egypt in addressing the medical practice of FGM. This was done by completely banning doctors and other medical professionals from medical procedures involving FGM. Which is a great milestone to celebrate. The integration of FGM prevention and protection services in Covid 19 response plans as well as in health and social services is a great enabler for the protection of FGM Survivors.

The mission continues in unfailing hope of achieving the elimination of this practice by 2030, particularly with the call by the Human Rights Council’s multisectoral response towards its prevention and elimination.

Closing Remarks

The Africa She Wants: Ending FGM by 2030

by Nankali Maksud, Senior Advisor for Prevention of Harmful Practices, Child Protection, UNICEF

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s an African woman, a mother, and a professional who has worked for UNICEF for more than 20 years championing the rights of children, the elimination of FGM to me is one of the most important issues of our time. FGM involves the deliberate cutting, injuring and changing of girls’ genitals for no medical reason. As a practice that may have serious and long-term consequences on girls’ and women’s health and well-being, it is recognised internationally as a human rights violation. While communities cite lots of reasons for having girls undergo FGM, the prevailing myth is that it controls girls’ sexual desires, and preserves their virginity and prevents immorality.

The United Nations estimates that 200 million girls and women, worldwide, have undergone FGM. Although it is practiced across six continents, more than 80% of cases occur in Africa. As long as girls are subjected to FGM, continue to live in poverty and are denied their right to an education and hope for a better life, we will not realise Africa’s Agenda 2040

for the rights of all children, nor will we achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment as prioritized in the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the Africa We Want.

Since 2008, UNFPA and UNICEF have been implementing the Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM: Accelerating Change. As the largest global programme, we are working in 17 countries in partnership with governments and local organisations to empower girls and women, and support their communities in saying “no” to FGM. As a result of the Joint Programme, in 2021, almost 3.5 million people made public commitments to end FGM, and 216,853 girls were prevented from undergoing the practice.

population growth outpaces the rate of elimination of FGM. Now, more than ever, we must come together and recommit to a transformation that upholds the promise that girls are no longer at risk of this harmful practice. I encourage you to join the global movement to ensure the right of every girl to be free of FGM by advocating for governments to increase investments in girls’ and women’s empowerment, by supporting local organisations working to end FGM, and by engaging with our social media campaign #InvestDontRest. With your support, every girl will have the opportunity to achieve the Africa She Wants.

In Africa, progress is being made as FGM becomes less common in 14 countries where it once was universal. In the last two decades, the proportion of girls and women who would like to see the practice end has doubled.

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