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Survivor leadership vital in the fight against female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C)

The Girl Generation and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office host event to mark Zero Tolerance Day for Female Genital Mutilation

7 February 2024

To mark International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2024, our UK aid funded The Girl Generation: Africa-Led Movement to End Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting (FGM/C) programme (TGG/ALM) hosted a panel discussion with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on “Survivor Stories: Accelerating the movement to end FGM”.

During the event, which was moderated by the FCDO’s Head of Gender and Equalities, Diana Dalton, activists and survivors Sarafina Loriakwe, Amina Galgalo Omar as well as TGG/ALM’s Global Advocacy Director, Dr Leyla Sirad Hussein Gikandi OBE shared insights into why survivor leadership is vital in the fight against FGM/C.

Panellists reiterated that FGM/C is not a cultural or traditional practice, but a human rights violation, and that survivors need to be at the centre of the fight against FGM/C. A sustainable, inclusive movement to end FGM/C can only be created when at-risk and affected girls and women are at the centre of programme design, implementation and evaluation.

“We know that FGM is one of the most extreme manifestations of gender-based violence and gender inequality. We continue to substantially support the Africa-Led Movement to end FGM.”
Diana Dalton, Head of Gender and Equalities, FCDO

TGG/ALM is proud to work with inspiring FGM/C survivors through its flagship initiative, Survivor Leadership Training (SLT), to provide sustainable emotional support and funding for women and girls affected by FGM/C. The aim of the training is to enhance prevention efforts to end FGM/C by equipping and empowering survivors themselves to become leaders within the movement and breaking down the stigma associated with FGM/C and emotional and mental health issues.

We thank the survivors for joining us at this event. We also thank Diana Dalton for hosting the discussion and welcome FCDO’s renewed commitment from the UK government to supporting the movement and to focusing on survivors as advocates to end FGM/C.

Funders
UK aid

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