Advancing Peacebuilding in Africa: Marking 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (2024) by Addressing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

“Peace without justice is at best fragile. Only through justice can sustainable peace be secured.” – Kirthi Jayakumar, 2014¹

Introduction

Violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations around the world. Globally, almost one in three women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence, intimate partner/non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their lives.² The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence³ is an annual global campaign dedicated to ending violence against women and girls, running from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) until December 10 (Human Rights Day).⁴ The campaign’s 2024 theme was entitled “Towards Beijing +30: UNiTE to End Violence Against Women and Girls,” representing a period of reflection, review, and recommitment by governments, organizations, and other stakeholders to reassess progress made toward gender equality since 1995. It also seeks to address ongoing challenges and set priorities for the future.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) often serves as a mechanism for maintaining patriarchal control, reinforcing gender hierarchies that hinder women’s agency and participation in peace processes.⁵ FGM comprises all steps and actions that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.⁶ FGM is deeply rooted in cultural and traditional norms, often upheld as a social expectation and a marker of identity. The practice is often upheld by families feeling compelled to perform the procedure to avoid stigma, discrimination, or exclusion from their communities.⁷ These cultural expectations are passed down through generations, with the fear of ostracism and the desire to conform to societal norms perpetuating the cycle, making FGM a challenge in many societies.⁸ Some communities falsely associate FGM with religious requirements, hence the misinterpretation of Islamic or Christian teachings that are sometimes used to justify the practice.⁹ FGM is rooted in patriarchal systems that seek to control women’s sexuality and reproductive rights, reinforcing the idea that women’s bodies are commodities tied to family honor.¹⁰ The Population Reference Bureau (2019) states that in many communities, FGM is perceived as a prerequisite for marriage, often seen as a means of economic security for women and their families.¹¹ The practice is therefore linked to social and economic survival.¹²

FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women,¹³and as a form of sexual violence, carried out against women and girls without their consent through using coercion, threats, or force. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that FGM has no health benefits and can cause excessive bleeding, problems urinating, cysts, infections, complications in childbirth, and increased risk of newborn deaths. (WHO, 2024).¹⁴ The UN explicitly recognizes FGM as a violation of human rights, highlighting its impact on health, security, physical integrity, and its alignment with principles against torture, inhumane treatment, and children’s rights.¹⁵ FGM remains a significant barrier to gender equality, with millions of girls and women globally at risk of being at the receiving end of this harmful practice.

Integrating FGM into the peacebuilding agenda during the 16 Days of Activism underscores the urgent need to address the intersections of violence, culture, and gender to achieve lasting peace and equity. Gender-Based Violence (GBV), including FGM, perpetuates structural inequalities and social injustices that undermine community cohesion and sustainable peace.¹⁶ Violence against women and girls is both a cause and a consequence of broader societal conflicts, often exacerbating cycles of instability.

Peacebuilding intersects with FGM, based on the recognition that FGM is a form of structural violence perpetuated by gender inequalities.¹⁷ Therefore, sustainable peace cannot be achieved without addressing the unequal power relations in society. However, it should be noted that in communities where FGM is practiced, efforts to eliminate it can often create tension and friction.

Advancing Peacebuilding Strategies to End FGM

Activist and UN Women Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Africa, Jaha Dukureh, emphasizes that achieving peace and justice for women and girls is integral to broader societal well-being.¹⁸ Dukureh’s advocacy underscores the critical need to address FGM as a fundamental human rights issue, asserting that true peace cannot exist without justice for women and girls. Advancing strategies to end FGM involves addressing the root causes of the practice, creating supportive environments for survivors, and fostering community-driven change. In African contexts, where cultural practices like FGM are deeply entrenched, addressing GBV becomes essential for fostering equity and reconciliation on the continent.

Despite legislative progress and advocacy, the practice of FGM persists due to deeply rooted cultural norms, lack of awareness, and inadequate access to resources for survivors. That is why it is essential to take a holistic, multi-dimensional approach that combines education, legal reform, community engagement, survivor support, and international collaboration. Peacebuilding efforts should prioritize promoting lasting cultural change that upholds the rights, dignity, and well-being of women and girls. Integrating these efforts into anti-FGM strategies requires navigating and mitigating potential tensions effectively.

Fundamental human rights, social justice, and the elimination of violence are necessary for sustainable peace. When gender equality is advanced and bodily autonomy is upheld, societies are more likely to be peaceful, equitable, and just. This could be done by identifying the root causes of conflict and violence, addressing gender-based violence, and promoting equal participation and representation, as it ensures women can advocate for their needs, make informed decisions, and contribute to the creation of just and peaceful societies. Post-conflict justice is also a necessity for the healing of survivors, and advancing peacebuilding in Africa.

Advancing Gender Equality and Upholding Bodily Autonomy for All

Advancing gender equality and upholding bodily autonomy for all aligns with the Beijing Declaration’s emphasis on women’s rights and the UNiTE campaign’s goal to eliminate violence against women and girls, including harmful cultural practices like FGM. It emphasizes both prevention and the empowerment of survivors.¹⁹

I was privileged to meet Brighter Society Initiative (BSI) Executive Director, Sadia Hussein, an FGM survivor and a prominent women’s rights advocate. Her personal experience with FGM has fueled her dedication to eradicating the practice and empowering women and girls across the country. Hussein’s advocacy focuses on grassroots mobilization, education, and community engagement to challenge these deep-seated norms. She founded the Dayaa Women Group and the Brighter Society Initiative to spearhead these efforts. Her initiatives have been credited with significantly reducing support for FGM in regions like Tana River County, where the number of people in favor of Type III FGM fell from 89% in February 2019 to just 5% by January 2021.²⁰

In an interview with Sadia, she stated that she underwent the cut 30 years ago, attesting (based on her personal experience) that FGM is more than a harmful cultural practice. She described it as a form of sexual violence, as its severe impact on survivors’ sexual and reproductive health is manifested through the enduring physical and psychological trauma associated with the practice. She also described it as a form of gender-based violence. Her assertion challenges the narrative that FGM is merely a traditional practice, by emphasizing the physical and psychological harm inflicted on survivors and the urgent need to address FGM as a human rights violation.²¹

The empowerment of survivors and culturally-sensitive approaches are essential to ending FGM while respecting community dynamics. Habiba Haro, an FGM survivor and community mobilizer from Isiolo, stated that “By focusing on the needs, voices, and experiences of survivors, we can create systems and policies that are more effective in addressing the trauma of FGM and ultimately work toward its elimination. Offer support, but don’t impose your ideas of what healing should look like. It is also important to approach these conversations with humility, acknowledging that people’s experiences are diverse, and that cultural contexts are significant. Above all, create an environment where survivors feel safe, validated, and in control.”²²

The two interviews with survivors revealed the deeply entrenched nature of FGM and the multifaceted challenges in addressing it. Survivor testimonies underscore the enduring physical, emotional, and cultural scars of the practice. By positioning FGM within the larger context of sexual violence, survivors and advocates call for comprehensive strategies to address all forms of gender-based violence. This approach ensures that the fight to end FGM is integrated into a broader effort to promote gender equality and protect human rights.

Sustainable peace cannot exist without justice and equality. Upholding gender equality and bodily autonomy is not just a moral imperative but a legal one, as enshrined in international human rights frameworks such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)²³ and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.²⁴ These frameworks emphasize that gender equality and bodily autonomy are fundamental to the peace and security of all.

Conclusion

The eradication of FGM is a pressing global priority, recognized as a violation of human rights and a barrier to gender equality. As part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5—to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls—addressing FGM requires sustained international, national, and community-level efforts.²⁵

Peacebuilding strategies, particularly dialogue, play a critical role in challenging harmful cultural practices that undermine community cohesion. Empowering women as peacebuilders enables them to advocate for their rights, challenge oppressive norms, and lead transformative change. Human rights principles must remain at the forefront, emphasizing the rights of women and girls to bodily autonomy and protection from violence.

To make meaningful progress, it is essential to leverage existing legal frameworks, both local and international, while equipping communities with tools for effective advocacy. In Kenya, the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act (2011) and the establishment of the Anti-FGM Board exemplify national efforts to combat FGM. However, these frameworks must be complemented by community-driven strategies that align with local cultural dynamics. For example, grassroots organizations like Africa Coordinating Centre for the Abandonment of FGM (ACCAF) and Amref Health Africa have partnered with communities to implement context-specific interventions that not only raise awareness but also provide alternative rites of passage to replace FGM.

Localized action means engaging directly with communities, understanding their unique social and cultural contexts, and working collaboratively to come up with solutions. ACCAF’s engagement with communities in Narok County revealed that the rise of women-led advocacy groups has shown the transformative power of equipping survivors and community leaders with knowledge and platforms to drive change. Similarly, in West Africa, the Tostan²⁶ model of community empowerment—based on dialogue, human rights education, and economic support—has been instrumental in reducing FGM practices.

Platforms like the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence offer great opportunities to address FGM as a form of sexual violence. By embracing global solidarity and grounded, localized efforts, we can build a future where gender equality is not only a global aspiration but also an African reality. This means protecting bodily autonomy, fostering intergenerational dialogue, and eradicating all forms of violence against women and girls through survivor-centered, community-owned initiatives that resonate with the lived experiences of African communities. Eliminating FGM through survivor-centered interventions and culturally sensitive advocacy can transform harmful norms, thus creating a foundation for inclusive governance and social harmony.

Peacebuilding frameworks that fail to address GBV risk overlooking the lived experiences of marginalized groups, particularly women and girls, whose well-being is integral to societal stability. Lederach²⁷ argues that sustainable peacebuilding efforts must prioritize grassroots engagement and address structural violence. By embedding GBV eradication within peacebuilding efforts, we recognize the interdependence of human security and social justice, ultimately advancing the African Union’s Agenda 2063²⁸ vision of a gender-equal and peaceful continent.

Endnotes

1. “Peace without justice is at best fragile. Only though justice can sustainable peace be secured.” (Jayakumar, Kirthi, 2014) https://www.peaceinsight.org/en/articles/peace-or-justice/?location=&theme=transitional-justice-reconciliation
2. Every 10 minutes, partners and family members killed a woman or a girl intentionally in 2023. https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite/16-days-of-activism
3. 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. https://www.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/16-days-of-activism
4. Every 10 minutes, partners and family members killed a woman or a girl intentionally in 2023. https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/unite/16-days-of-activism
5. Akweongo, P., Jackson, E.F., Appiah-Yeboah, S. et al. It’s a woman’s thing: gender roles sustaining the practice of female genital mutilation among the Kassena-Nankana of northern Ghana. Reproductive Health 18, 52 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-021-01085-z
6. WHO (2024), Female Genital Mutilation. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation
7. UNFPA. (2023). Social Norms and FGM. https://www.unicef.org/protection/unfpa-unicef-joint-programme-eliminating-fgm#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20some%20notable%20results,the%20abandonment%20of%20the%20practice.
8. World Health Organization (WHO). (2020). Female Genital Mutilation. https://www.who.int/health-topics/female-genital-mutilation#tab=tab_1
9. UNICEF. (2021). Female Genital Mutilation Statistics and Reports. https://www.unicef.org/media/128196/file/FGM-Kenya-2021.pdf
10. UN Women. (2023). Ending FGM: Global Efforts and Challenges. https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/faqs/female-genital-mutilation
11. Population Reference Bureau. (2019). Female genital mutilation: A form of gender-based violence. http://www.prb.org.
12. Population Reference Bureau. (2019). Understanding FGM in Sub-Saharan Africa. https://www.prb.org/resources/reference-guide-for-understanding-fgm-c-data/
13. WHO (2024), Female Genital Mutilation. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation#:~:text=The%20practice%20has%20no%20health%20benefits%20for,the%20human%20rights%20of%20girls%20and%20women.
14. World Health Organization. (n.d.). Female genital mutilation. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation
15. United Nations General Assembly. (2012). Intensifying global efforts for the elimination of female genital mutilations** (A/RES/67/146). United Nations. Retrieved from https://www.un.org
16. Gender Transformative approaches for the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation. https://www.unicef.org/media/86391/file/FGM-Mainstreaming-Gender-Equality-2020-v2.pdf?
17. United Nations Women. (2017). Female genital mutilation/cutting and violence against women and girls. https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2017/2/female-genital-mutilation-cutting-and-violence-against-women-and-girls
18. UN Women (2018). In the words of Jaha Dukureh: “We are at a tipping point in the movement to end FGM.” https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2018/3/in-the-words-of-jaha-dukureh#:~:text=The%20reason%20why%20they%20practise,doing%20more%20than%20ever%20before.
19. UN Women, (2015). Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Beijing +5 Political Declaration and Outcome. https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2015/01/beijing-declaration?
20. Lizzie Davies (2021) Sadia Hussein: the FGM survivor who is saving girls from the knife. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jun/23/sadia-hussein-the-fgm-survivor-who-is-saving-girls-from-the-knife?
21. Hussein, S. (2024, November 15). Personal interview.
22. Dima, A. H. (2024, November 15). Personal interview.
23. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/cedaw.htm
24. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
25. UN Women. SDG 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. https://www.unwomen.org/en/node/36060?
26. Tostan, Dignity for All. Community Empowerment Program. https://tostan.org/programs/community-empowerment-program/
27. Lederach, J. P. (1997). Building peace: Sustainable reconciliation in divided societies. United States Institute of Peace Press. Washington, DC. https://www.scribd.com/document/483204936/John-Paul-Lederach-Building-Peace-Sustainable
28. African Union: Gender Equality & Development. https://au.int/en/gender-equality-development?