What do a doctor in Somaliland, a pop star in Burkina Faso, and the Ethiopian Scout Association have in common? They are all young Africans who are working to end the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), starting in their communities.
FGM involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons that result in a lifetime of physical, psychological and emotional suffering. It is human rights violation and an extreme form of gender inequality. Though reasons behind the practice differ greatly, it is often done to preserve virginity until marriage, to decrease a woman’s sexual desire, to signal a rite of passage into womanhood, or to prepare a girl for marriage.
FGM is a global practice transcending cultural, religious, and political boundaries. It is prevalent in over 40 countries, primarily in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, though it is also practiced in Europe, the Americas, and Australia. Globally, more than 200 million women and girls have undergone FGM, and over 3 million more are at risk every year.
Despite decades of advocacy work by international NGOs and grassroots organizations — along with a plethora of medical research connecting it to infections, maternal and newborn complications, and even death — FGM is still considered the norm in many parts of the world.
For end-FGM campaigns to be truly effective, they must be spearheaded by local activists and include the voice of the youth. Faith Mwangi-Powell is the global director of The Girl Generation, the largest global collective to end FGM. She says, “Young people are the heart and soul of the campaign to end FGM. They are tomorrow’s parents and leaders. If they decide to and are supported not to cut their daughters, we will end FGM in our generation.”
Currently, 6 out of every 10 Africans are under the age of 25, and by 2050, this population will have doubled. They are tomorrow’s parents who will protect their children and the leaders who will finally abandon FGM.
Supported by The Girl Generation, this profile series, “The Change Generation,” follows a group of young African activists who are working tirelessly to end FGM.
Here is what these leaders look like.
Mariam Dahir
Doctor, Somaliland
Mariam Dahir, 31, is a doctor and an end-FGM activist from Hargeisa, Somaliland. In Somalia, 98 percent of women have undergone some form of FGM. As a trainee doctor, Dahir has witnessed firsthand its harmful health effects. “I saw women unable to give birth, [with] horrific complications,” she recalls. “I wanted to know why this was happening and how I could help.”
Despite resistance from many in her community, Dahir started to campaign against the widespread practice. “When I first started speaking out against FGM, many people in my community were critical,” Dahir says. “But things are changing. More people are speaking out against FGM in Somaliland.”
As a lecturer at Frantz Fanon University in Hargeisa, Dahir’s mission is to shape the next generation of academics, doctors, and “change-makers” in Somaliland. She is also campaigning to include an FGM component in the medical educational curriculum, so that medical students know what the negative health implication of FGM are and what to look out for.
As a doctor, teacher, activist, and mother, Dahir breaks the silence surrounding the practice in all aspects of her life. Whether it’s with women at the market or students in her lecture room, Dahir speaks out against the practice and encourages others to do the same.
Smarty
Musician, Burkina Faso
Chart-topping musician Smarty, 40, is using songs for social good. In Burkina Faso, 76 percent of women and girls have undergone some form of FGM— despite the practice being illegal. “To end FGM, we need to speak to the whole community,” he says. “A love of music is universal here — music is how we will be heard, it is how we will be noticed.” In particular, Smarty believes music is an effective tool to reach young people (nearly two out of three Burkinabés are under the age of 25).
To that end, in 2018, Smarty and three other renowned artists, Greg, Dicko Fils, and Owena, each released a song on an album called “No More Blade, No More Excision.” The songs specifically aim to end FGM. Recently Smarty performed his song at a local school in the capital Ouagadougou.
Ending FGM requires everyone to step up. “I want to tell young people that we are all ambassadors to this cause,” Smarty says. “No matter who you are, you can change things. We all have a role to play in the end-FGM movement. Together, we can end FGM in one generation.”
Oumie Sissokho
Activist, The Gambia
Oumie Sissokho, 37, is a youth activist and co-founder of The Girls’ Agenda, a community organization run by youth for youth. In The Gambia, 76 percent of all women and girls have undergone FGM, despite it being banned in 2015. Speaking out against it is considered a taboo, and openly challenging the harmful practice in a place where tradition and culture are highly valued can be extremely difficult.
Earlier this year, The Girl’s Agenda opened their Youth Safe Space in Brikama, one of The Gambia’s largest cities. The Youth Safe Space is a place where youth can learn about the harmful impacts of FGM and share stories. “By addressing FGM so early in their lives, the children will not only be the listeners of the end-FGM movement, but they will be critical actors who will start questioning the practice,” says Sissokho.
“We don’t want the girls or boys to go back to their parents, teachers, or community leaders and face backlash,” Sissokho explains. “So, we equip them with these skills so that they can become responsible agents of change in their community.”
For Sissokho, youth are the engine that drives the movement to one day eliminate FGM in her country. “We are the ones that will make sure that FGM is not handed over to the next generation,” she says.
Felxfame Omovie Enisire
Activist, Nigeria
Felxfame Omovie Enisire, 27, is an end-FGM campaigner from Imo State, Nigeria. In Imo, 68 percent of women have undergone some form of the practice, one of the highest rates in the country. For Enisire, ending FGM is an act of love. “When I learned about the harmful consequences of FGM I couldn’t help but think about it happening to the people around me — to the people I love,” he says.
Enisire has found that FGM, often seen as an exclusively “women’s issue,” is not often discussed openly by men. However, he says, “we can’t end FGM without talking to men.” For him, ending the practice is not a one-person, one-gender, or one-country campaign — it is a global issue. “People need to come together to end FGM.”
Enisire works for an organization called the Community & Youth Development Initiatives (CYDI) that holds information sessions in Owerri, the state’s capital, to warn young people about the dangers of FGM. Young campaigners like him are leading the charge — driving activities in local communities to end FGM.
In Imo state, girls usually undergo FGM eight days after birth. This means that talking to new mothers is critical. Every week, Enisire visits an antenatal clinic at a healthcare centre in Orlu to explain the impact of FGM, and holds a Peer Education Club where he teaches young men about the dangers of FGM. Activities like these are key to to addressing the social norms that allow the practice to prevail.
Ethiopian Scout Association
Ethiopia
The Ethiopian Scouts Association is nationwide network of over 67,000 young Ethiopians aged 14 to 18. As volunteers, they assist governments and NGOs with activities addressing a wide variety different social issues. One of these issues is ending FGM. In Ethiopia, over 74 percent of women and girls have undergone some form of FGM.
The scouts are playing an important role in speaking effectively about FGM and making sure they open up conversations instead of shutting them down. After receiving training from The Girl Generation on social change communications, the scouts reach out to community members to speak about the impacts of the practice. Positively framing the message has reduced backlash. “Ours is a country that is experiencing so much change,” says Dani Taddesse, a scout member. “I want to make sure that it is the right kind of change.”
All of these leaders are part of The Girl Generation. With over 900 members, it is the largest Africa-led collective to end FGM. Bringing together the voices thousands of women, men, and young people, the collective has one shared vision: FGM can and must end in this generation.
