Zainab Nur: ‘Revictimization of Affected Women by the Anti-FGM Campaign’

The 2023 World Association of Sexual Health Conference was held in Antalya, Turkey, 2-5 November 2023.

Bridging the gaps in Sexual Health, Rights, Justice and Pleasure in Africa: The imperative for eradication of FGM was a plenary session (P15) and the promotional material for it follows.

“Uwem Esiet

The global quest for ensuring sexual health, rights, justice and pleasure is most laudable and very desirable. However, each continent has peculiar challenges thus there is the need to galvanize efforts and initiatives

to respond to specific continental challenges. One of the most devastating socio-cultural practices that impedes and violates sexual health, rights, justice and pleasure is the heinous practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Africa is home to over 1.4 billion persons of many diverse ethno-cultural backgrounds, but regrettably the continent has the highest number of countries where FGM is practiced.

An estimated 55 million girls under the age of 15 in 28 African countries have experienced or are at risk of experiencing FGM thus accounting for about 80% of all FGM cases worldwide. The countries include:

Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Cote D’Ivoire, Dijbouti, Egypt

Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger

Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda.

The risk of FGM practice has also become a major ground for seeking Asylum. Despite the fact that eradicating FGM has been a major SRHR agenda of the African Union Commission since 2006 as stated in the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Continental Policy Framework, this has remained a mirage. Thus, to guarantee sexual health, rights, justice and pleasure in Africa, new innovative approaches at eradicating FGM become imperative.”

This interview with Zainab Nur of the Cardiff Somali community and Hidden Voices UK was recorded for the event and published in November 2023. 

The interviewer is Brian Earp. He was then Senior Research Fellow, University of Oxford.  He is now Associate Professor and Director, Oxford-NUS Centre for Neuroethics & Society, University of Oxford and National University of Singapore.

He introduces Zainab Nur as “one of the first campaigners against female genital cutting in the UK, who now argues that the movement has become an “industry” that ultimately harms affected communities, women, and girls.” 

Aspects covered in the 27 minute discussion include Genital autonomy (1.07), Early activism (2.43), Power dynamics (4.21 ), Consent vs harm (6.10), Misconceptions (8.40), FGM (11.10), Successful prosecution (15.03) and Labiaplasty (16.58).