A powerful interview with a lovely young woman about FGM

[JustonTime]

It's an interview conducted by an Irish comedian who hosts one to one interviews now. The lady in question (Ifra?) gives a very powerful interview.

Can we discuss this?

She stated that there is a 98% uptake in Somalia of FGM. She is not being heard in Somalia when she is trying to change things.

Is there anything that we (or I) can do?

And who do you think is going to influence these young boys?

Well it's not going to be me is it? Why would anything I say be relevant to them?

I did think that I wanted to hear from the fathers. Where women are harming and policing each other in an intensely patriarchal setup, the voices you're not hearing may be the actual voices of power. I wanted to hear the fathers of those boys telling them that women deserve complete lives and sexual enjoyment just like they do. And then to hear the mothers not just talking about 'clean girls' but about their own experiences. Which is why the voices of authentic women who have experienced this are so powerful.

I dont care about the colour of the people who rescue me from a burning building or an assault. But I do care, more than a bit, that e.g. women are represented in legislatures and not all laws and culture is male focused and male made. The same for different races.

I follow Nimco Ali on Twitter. She has received an OBE for her work re FGM. She’s a tad controversial as she’s (now) a Brexiteer Tory but when it comes to FGM she is a loud, proud voice who gives no fucks what others think.

There are various grass roots charities promoting alternatives - rites of passage, education for girls:

www.beyondfgm.com/

Thank you drspouse. That's a hopeful link. I'll donate.

There's this:

www.ifrahfoundation.org/

"Ifrah Foundation was founded in 2010 by Ifrah Ahmed, an Irish citizen originally from Somalia. Ifrah Foundation has been active in Somalia since 2013, where it is a registered Civil Society Organisation (CSO). Ifrah Foundation is also a registered charity in Ireland.

Ifrah Ahmed is one of the world's top international FGM/C eradication advocates and activists. Ifrah has received multiple awards for her work and she campaigns relentlessly for legislation to ban FGM/C around the world. Ifrah is the Gender Advisor to the Government in Somalia.

Ifrah Foundation aims to:

Support the work of Ifrah Ahmed

Implement a National FGM/C Eradication Program in Somalia

Support similar initiatives in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region in Africa."

FYI

www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/feb/03/fgm-doctor-arrested-in-egypt-after-girl-12-bleeds-to-death

Ayaan Hirsi Ali has a good anti-FGM campaign going in the US.

Very sad story today about a girl in Egypt bleeding to death after FGM:

www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/feb/03/fgm-doctor-arrested-in-egypt-after-girl-12-bleeds-to-death

Sorry, cross-posted with midge.

'I think there needs to be a grass roots movement, so someone like this woman, who is actually from there, might be listened to'
Yy

Jaha Dukureh is another voice speaking out on this issue.

As is Fatou Baldeh who studied in Scotland then moved back to the Gambia

www.kwisa.org.uk/about-us

This is where I donate when I have cash.
This is a wonderful organization run by and for African women.
The board are incredibly clever and very brilliant campaigners.
It's difficult to talk about these issues in communities because it's a stigmatized issue, both fgm and female sexuality.

Also African communities experience so much prejudice already and don't necessarily want to be known mainly for something that British politicians call 'barbaric'.
Especially as it isn't practiced uniformly across Africa, and does happen elsewhere in the world.

Kwisa are amazing at getting the balance right in what they say and do.

That poor wee girl, 8 years old

It's horrific that ANY girl has this done to her. What is the UK gov doing to pressure foreign governments to actively prevent this?

I follow Hibo Wardare on Facebook. She goes into schools and teaches with mixed sex classes and also teaches the teachers and medical professionals
www.facebook.com/hibo.wardere