* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
A collective voice will be heard across Africa on Sunday. Vibrant and strong, the voice asks all of us to listen carefully. The voice is demanding change and reform.
Masses of young people across Africa and beyond are speaking out together on International Youth Day. Their message is loud, their message is clear, they will end female genital mutilation (FGM) will you join them?
FGM is a harmful practice. It includes all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons causing variety of severely painful side effects, complications in childbirth, psychological problems and even death.
The Girl Generation is the largest global collective of organisation working together to end FGM. We provide a global platform for galvanising and amplifying the Africa youth-led movement to end FGM. We are united by our vision that FGM can – and must – end in this generation.
We believe that young people are the heart and soul of the end FGM agenda, as future parents, they hold the power to end FGM in their generation. Working with these young people across the African continent we launched a youth-led campaign through which we are amplifying their voices on social media so that together we can break the silence that allows the practice to continue. So far, the online campaign has reached over 3.6 million with many more reached via traditional media headlines across Africa.
Affecting more than 200 million woman and girls globally and millions more at risk, FGM is the gravest violation of women and girls bodily integrity and rights- our vision is that women and girls across the African continent and beyond live healthy and empowered lives, with their fundamental human rights protected, and with opportunities to realise their potential.
With an appropriate and targeted ‘girl agenda’, we can unleash this potential and ending FGM is a critical and urgent part of this.
Our experience indicates work around ending FGM and other gender-based violence issues, though central, has been addressed in isolation with minimal linkages to mainstream sexual and reproductive health and maternal, newborn and child health issues.
Yet we know all too well that gender inequality and power relations directly affect women’s access and utilisation of services. Gender discrimination within families, communities, and societies, compounded by lack of decision-making power and access to information, can severely affect maternal health.
Due to differences in power relations, women and children endure violence and are often powerless to report violations to authorities or are restricted from seeking medical attention. The prevalence of harmful traditional practices such as FGM not only perpetuates gender imbalances but more importantly causes long-term disabilities that can pose serious complications during pregnancy.
Ending FGM is not only a personal battle for campaigners, it is an issue of global concern that requires comprehensive frameworks through which governments can address it. There should now be an obligation for national governments to develop strategies for monitoring and addressing FGM.
Thus there is a determination on our part to unlock further resource and policy commitments and hold funders, policymakers and governments accountable to ending FGM in one generation.
I am, however, encouraged that change is happening and that is why we are grateful for the support from UK aid who have not only supported our work but have also been supporting the end FGM movement across Africa.
It’s amazing to see how quickly this campaign has taken off and I am so proud to see so many young people taking charge and speaking out. There is real momentum behind this campaign and it is not slowing down so don’t miss out. Let us all help young people generate one million conversations, conversations that call for an end to FGM so that together we can make the world a safer place for our girls.
I always remind myself and I want to remind you that young people are future parents and if they say no to FGM for their daughters they have the power to end FGM in their generation. BUT they need to have real spaces and platforms to engage, they need leadership and advocacy skills but more importantly they need money to implement their innovative ideas. This campaign is one such platform. We are asking young people to tell us what works for them. They know what works well and our job is to listen and co-create the spaces with them.
My advice to young people is not to give up. Changing deep-rooted social and cultural norms takes time – but they do have the power to end FGM for their own daughters and they should not waste that power.
The silence has already been shattered. The voices of reform grow louder and more persuasive with each passing day. Change is imminent – be part of that change today. I have spoken. Will you?
Faith Mwangi-Powell serves as the global director for The Girl Generation, an Africa-led global collective of members and partners that works to end FGM.
