Is ending Female Genital Mutilation, or FGM, perceived with the sense of urgency it deserves? Over 200 million girls and women have been affected by the practice in countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, where FGM is concentrated, according to UNICEF. But cultural complexities associated with the practice often push the issue to the backburner of the development agenda.
“FGM is a very sensitive topic,” says Waris Dirie, the founder of Desert Flower Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness and eradicating the FGM practice globally.
Somali-born Dirie, a former supermodel and actress turned human right activist, launched the Desert Flower Foundation in 2002 after the debut of the movie by the same name, which depicts her personal experience with FGM as a child. She has remained a well-known global advocate for the cause.
About the author
Jennifer Piettedisgeneration
Jennifer Ehidiamen is a Nigerian writer who is passionate about communications and journalism. She has worked as a reporter and communications consultant for different organizations in Nigeria and overseas. She has an undergraduate degree in mass communication from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, and M.A. in business and economics from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, New York. In 2014, she founded Rural Reporters (www.ruralreporters.com) with the goal of amplifying underreported news and issues affecting rural communities.
