Jaha Dukureh: ‘Produce not sensationalise FGM survivors’

When Jaha Dukureh used to be one week outdated, she survived feminine genital mutilation (FGM).

When she used to be 15 years outdated, the baby used to be forced into marriage, despatched to New York from The Gambia to be with her husband.

On her marriage ceremony evening, she used to be minimize again. The second direction of is frequent for females who ranking passed via the most extreme create of FGM, allowing for the consummation of marriage.

These stressful experiences ranking prompted Dukereh to fight against FGM, a note the UN estimates impacts 200 million women and females globally.

Dukureh says resistance to ending FGM has repeatedly been fierce, but attitudes are altering [Courtesy: Jaha Dukureh]

At 28 years outdated, she is now a UN Goodwill Ambassador against FGM and founding father of the Procure Arms for Girls NGO which offers make stronger survivors in Africa.

She spearheaded a a hit advertising campaign in the US, which led the administration of Barack Obama, worn president, to behavior additional compare into FGM.

Dukureh then took her advertising campaign to The Gambia, the attach she lives on the present time.

Her activism, which used to be captured in the award-a hit documentary « Jaha’s promise », in share led to The Gambia banning FGM in 2015.

The mom of three, named in 2016 by Time Magazine as among the A hundred most influential of us, works with grassroots actions.

She needs to make sure FGM and baby marriages change into horrors of the past.

Because the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation approaches on February 6, 2018, Dukureh advised Al Jazeera her story…

On the myths surrounding FGM…

« The very most practical story of FGM is that it be a non secular responsibility easiest practiced by Muslims and wretched Africans that produce not know the leisure.

« [Another myth is] that females who skilled FGM are now unable to leading efforts against it. I feel it be a misconception frequent in the West – they have a tendency to are seeking to make utilize of us as photograph ops and assign our tales accessible. They produce not be taught about us as those who can write policies and be share of those coverage changes, or ranking a seat at that table after they’re making decisions about our lives. »

On provocative support to The Gambia…

« I made up our minds to transfer support to The Gambia attributable to we had a swap of authorities which saw the shatter of Yahya Jammeh’s longtime rule.

« He banned FGM and deal of of us felt the FGM ban used to be his regulation, and he might maybe maybe ranking to nonetheless move with it.

« Because of this we needed to return to the communities and convince those who this used to be a regulation that used to be created for them, a re-energise the advertising campaign.

« Our work is wished now bigger than ever. We produce not want FGM to head underground. »

A man shows the emblem of a T-shirt that reads ‘Finish the Slash’ all the draw via a social occasion advocating against contaminated practices a lot like FGM in Kenya [File: Siegfried Modola]

On development…

« FGM has not been eradicated in The Gambia, but we now ranking got reach a protracted methodology. It used to be engaging to chat about [removing] FGM, now it be a national motion.

« We were doing work in college systems and females’s groups. We build pretty a few labor with the media. We ranking a broad culture of silence in our neighborhood. Collecting human tales and allowing females to share their experiences has helped us spoil the silence. »

On going via resistance…

« The resistance has repeatedly been fierce. To in the in the interim, we proceed to meet some resistance but it be not as unsuitable as it frail to be.

« Many of the resistance is from non secular leaders. In The Gambia, the anguish is that many those who note FGM imagine it be a non secular responsibility.

« Extra and additional non secular leaders are coming forward and asserting there is no such thing as a income of FGM. Because of this they’re supporting the ban. Issues are altering in the Gambia, but not as hastily as we want it to be. Or not it is better than it frail to be. »

On the importance of appreciate…

« Admire is what has been lacking for years when tackling FGM.

« It is serious for activists to be cautious with the media and not to sensationalise FGM and survivors.

« I expose them to get care and not delivery up too worthy attributable to it is probably you’ll maybe well also without insist lose your self.

« It is major for us survivors and those which would maybe be appealing about this work to sing ‘no’ generally to guard ourselves. Standing to your truth and by no methodology ever letting the leisure ranking you away from you is serious. »

On whether FGM will likely be eradicated by 2030…

« I produce not know if FGM will likely be eradicated by 2030, but I build imagine this might maybe maybe end result in our lifetime.

« Within the Gambia, I produce not imagine that is also a controversy in the next 10 years.

« Globally, I produce not deliver there is sufficient will and political dedication against ending FGM by 2030. »

On Africa…

« We started the Mountainous Sister Circulate, a neighborhood of survivors across Africa who work collectively. Our target is the African Union (AU) and Africa as a complete.

« We want the AU to attach extra stress on member international locations. Many international locations in Africa ranking legal tips against FGM but are not enforcing them.

We are asking the AU to accelerate a resolution by 2020 which makes FGM illegal in every country in the future of the continent. »

On how of us might maybe well make stronger the motion to damage FGM…

« They would maybe maybe well make stronger us. We were all at one point delivery air the continent.

« We want to re-get into consideration how we build things. We can’t proceed striking all the sources in organisations which would maybe be in New York and London, and request to kind a difference in a village in Gambia. »

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Prepare Fatma Naib on Twitter: @FatmaNaib