Blog

By Tichafara Chisaka. On Wednesday 8th March, I attended an event on behalf of 28 Too Many, organised by Garden Court Chambers, on the subject of tackling the cycle of violence against women. The discussions focused on tackling violence against women in the wider context/ structural barriers, tackling violence against women within the context of the law/ legal frameworks, and practical ways of tackling violence against women on the ground.

Guest blog by Esther Njenga. Nancy is a bubbly, kind and intelligent girl who just last year successfully completed high school. Getting to this landmark stage of her life is nothing but a journey of courage and sacrifice not only for her but also for her two brothers who have stood by her through her trying times.

Guest blog by Noa Marson. It is difficult as a young person to understand one’s role in the fight against FGM. I don’t blame you; in the western world it can seem to be such a distant issue, and wherever you are in the world, it can feel like a helpless cause. FGM has been occurring for thousands of years and is engrained in worldwide cultures, so what is the point in young people standing up against tradition? 

Guest blog by Natalie Robi. As a young girl in my community no one ever told  me the harmful effects of the cut,  all everyone spoke about is how you will become a woman and stop being a child. A celebration during the cutting season made someone feel very special because goats and even a cow would be slaughtered for your ceremony. It was every young girl’s dreams.

Guest blog by Bakary Seedy Dampha Programme Manager Kids Come First in The Gambia. FGM is no longer a new thing in the Gambia and I’m impressed with the amount of youth involvement and engagement in ending FGM in a generation. Addressing the life threatening and global concern, the Girl Generation has currently a membership of 50 organisations in the Gambia. 

Guest blog by Tony Mwebia. Today is International Day to Zero Tolerance against FGM and my plea to fellow youths and especially men is to join this noble cause and stand to be counted in making this world a better place for women and girls. As youths we stand to benefit most by achievement of SDGs, with elimination of harmful cultural practices being key in realization of SDG 5. 

Guest Blog by Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo, Journalist/Founder and News Director. For the last 16 days I have witnessed an overwhelming scene on social media of something I thought I was dealing with alone. Female Genital Mutilation. FGM was performed on me at age 5 and I will never forget the event. It is still etched in my mind and when reporter Ludovica Iaccino mentioned she was doing a story about it at the International Business Times.

Guest Blog from Kirthi Jayakumar, Founder of The Red Elephant Foundation. The consequences of FGM on the health, both physical and psychological, are tremendous. There is a need for health care, concentrated assistance to repatriate the dangerous impact, and also, in many communities, a desperate need to help the women stand on their own feet if they choose to escape the dangerous treatment.

Guest Blog from Bakary Seedy Damph (Buba). Bakary Seedy Damph (Buba) founded and runs Kids Come First Foundation, a community based advocacy group that offers support and empowers children irrespective of their backgrounds. The foundation addresses issues such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Child Marriage and provides affected children and their families with psychological, financial and emotional support based on a fair assessment of their needs.

Guest Blog by Ayako Fujihara. This paper employs a cross-country comparison of the role of NGOs in advocating an end to FGM, in order to explore what can be done in countries that have legislated against the practice but have seen limited success in enforcement. As of 2015, 25 countries in Africa have legislations or decrees against FGM. Practices in Togo and Benin will be discussed as both countries have seen a significant decline in the prevalence rate of FGM over the past 2 decades.