F
TURE
“I wanted passionately to get to the root of the problem, change the beliefs of the people and eradicate this abuse globally.” “To begin with I thought that there must be loads of people addressing FGM and all I needed to do was join them – but then I realised this wasn’t the case. I wanted passionately to get to the root of the problem, change the beliefs of the people and eradicate this abuse globally. Quite a big dream!” Due to the size of such an undertaking, Ann-Marie decided when setting up her organisation in 2010 to focus on the 28 countries in Africa where they practise FGM – hence the name 28 Too Many. The practice is not specific to certain religions. In Kenya, groups involved are Somali Muslims, Kisi Christians and the Masai. The principle task now for 28 Too Many is to continue with community-based research on the ground in African countries. With extensive surveys complete in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia, 28 Too Many presents its findings to governments and the Church to help beat and end such a horrific problem. “We offer the research which often, due to fragmentation, they are grateful for. Then we support. After all, they come from the culture and they speak the language and it is important to be culturally relevant.”
MAY/JUNE 2014
In this advocacy work Ann-Marie has supported House of Lords debates and worked alongside Department for International Development, the Home Office, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the UK African diaspora to tackle FGM where it happens here. “It’s a problem here too. Around 20,000 girls are at risk in the UK each year with 70,000 already affected and living with the often very damaging consequences and needing specialist NHS services. “We’ve had a law against it here since 1985 but it’s hard to prosecute because you can’t really get young girls prosecuting their own parents. If social workers, teachers, police, court system and faith bodies don’t call it child abuse then people won’t take it seriously. If they call it a cultural practice there is a danger of bending over backwards in order to be culturally sensitive.”
Ann-Marie has to overcome the significant embarrassment factor regardless of the audience, believing a taboo is no excuse for not addressing abuse. “It is a notoriously secretive practice with sufferers having little opportunity to discuss it. Only through education and dialogue can many people see that it is really harmful.” She added: “When I have crazy times in Africa sleeping alongside chickens and girls I sometimes wonder what I let myself in for. This journey is costly and harder than I could have ever imagined but God is calling me to be a change.” 28toomany.org
IDEA MAGAZINE / 23