Mogadishu (AX) — As the sun lazily dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow over Mogadishu, a gathering unlike any other took place. Survivors, heartened activists, and earnest government officials came together to honor the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Their voices joined in an impassioned plea urging the swift establishment of a national ban in Somalia.
Orchestrated by the Ifrah Foundation, this pivotal event was held in partnership with the Ministry of Women, Family, and Human Rights Development (MoWFRD), UNICEF, and UNFPA. A convergence of religious leaders and healthcare specialists came forward, denouncing the practice as a severe public health menace wrapped in a flagrant violation of human rights. Why, they asked, does Somalia linger as one of the last havens for this grim tradition, especially when its prevalence is among the world’s highest?
Every story shared left an indelible mark of resilience. Women who bore scars both seen and unseen took the stage. Their narratives painted a stark picture of a brutal practice—each cut a tale of excruciating pain and complications, etching trauma into the tapestry of their lives. A survivor recounted, “From a young age, we were fed tales of necessity. Without FGM, we were told, dignity and marriage would elude us. What society would accept an uncircumcised woman?”
These unsettling testimonies revealed a pervasive and unsanitary reality: rituals conducted without anesthesia by traditional birth attendants, leaving young girls to endure excruciating pain, heavy bleeding, and months of convalescence.
Religious figures moved to dismantle the misconception that FGM finds its roots in Islam. “A practice such as this has no correlation with our faith,” a respected cleric stated, reminding everyone that Islam condemns inflicting harm on any life.
Health professionals attending the event echoed these sentiments, citing the dire medical consequences of FGM—potential infections, prolonged labor, complex childbirths, and enduring psychological wounds. Reflecting on the day’s discussions, I recalled an old saying shared by my grandmother: “Pain shared is halved, but pain inflicted is a crime.” Those words ring truer than ever.
Ifrah Ahmed (left), founder of Ifrah Foundation, poses with Somali Minister of Women, Family, and Human Rights Development Amb. Khadija Mohamed Al-Makhzoumi (center) and George Conway, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (right), during the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM event in Mogadishu, February 11, 2025. (Photo: Ifrah Foundation)
“The time for change has arrived,” a young nurse affirmed with steely determination in her voice, addressing the crowd with a fervent plea to end the cruelty that has marred so many lives.
Leading activist Ifrah Ahmed, who founded the Ifrah Foundation, stressed the urgency for immediate legislative action. “Awareness alone hasn’t sufficed,” she explained, urging a coalition of government officials and the public to take decisive steps. “Somali girls can’t wait any longer,” Ahmed implored, her voice echoing a call for justice that reverberated across the room.
Ahmed referenced the encouraging outcomes of the Dear Daughter Campaign—a beacon of progress where over 100,000 individuals have pledged to protect girls from this archaic ritual. Yet, she underscored the necessity for legal enforcement as the linchpin of genuine change.
“The law must act as our shield. It must protect, it must prosecute,” she concluded with a firm nod. Her exhortations set a challenge to the Ministry of Women, Family, and Human Rights Development and Somali lawmakers—to rise to this historical moment and enforce a national ban.
As the tribulations and triumphs echoed throughout the hall, Somali Minister of Women, Family, and Human Rights Development, Ambassador Khadija Mohamed Al-Makhzoumi, expressed the government’s unwavering commitment to uprooting FGM. “We have, at our disposal, irrefutable evidence of this practice’s destructive health impacts,” she affirmed. Her clarion call for legislative momentum was met with applause as she beseeched lawmakers and civil society to unify in passing an act that would boldly outlaw FGM in Somalia.
Somali Minister of Women, Family, and Human Rights Development Amb. Khadija Mohamed Al-Makhzoumi addresses the audience at the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM event in Mogadishu, February 11, 2025. Her earnest words relayed a potent message, weaving through the assembly: cultural traditions, political inertia, and insufficient legal enforcement should no longer be obstacles in the path of progress. United, our voices lay a foundation upon which new customs, rooted in the sanctity of life and dignity, shall be built.
As the evening concluded, the event left everyone present with two haunting questions: How many more voices will it take before change becomes a reality? And how loud must they shout?
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International–Monitoring
