On February 6, 2025, the world marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) under the theme, “Stepping up the pace: Strengthening alliances and building movements to end FGM.” On this day, UNFPA urges global solidarity in amplifying commitments to eradicate FGM by sharing stories, strategies, and successes using the hashtags #Unite2EndFGM and #EndFM. These collective efforts aim to drive a powerful movement toward permanently eliminating this harmful practice.1
In the fight against FGM, Person-Centered Communication (PCC) has emerged as a proven and effective approach to addressing this deeply entrenched cultural practice. Person-centered communication refers to a compassionate and respectful approach to discussing and addressing the issue, focusing on the experiences, needs, and perspectives of those affected.2 Fontane3 asserts that the person-centered approach is built on foundational principles that shape the therapeutic process. These include unconditional positive regard: where professionals accept and respect clients without judgment or criticism; empathy through active listening and seeing the world through the survivors’ eyes, professionals create a supportive space where clients feel heard, validated, and understood; and congruence: being honest, open, and genuine in their interactions. Professionals should build trust and establish a real connection, encouraging survivors to reciprocate with honesty and openness. PCC can be used in conflict transformation in communities by addressing tensions in a non-confrontational way by fostering dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect. Person-centered communication, which prioritizes empathy, active listening, and respect for the survivor’s voice, aligns with peacebuilding by facilitating conflict transformation at the family and community levels. Peacebuilding requires trust and collaboration among different stakeholders—survivors, community members, e.t.c. PCC strengthens relationships by validating the experiences of survivors like Habiba Haro and encouraging open, non-judgmental dialogue. This approach helps to dismantle mistrust, particularly in communities where external interventions may be seen as threats to tradition.
I sat down with Habiba Haro, an FGM survivor, to talk about Person-Centered Communication in context of the struggle against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Habiba4 is a community mobilizer from Isiolo County, Kenya. Habibasurvived FGM at the tender age of seven years, while living with her family in Merti subcounty, Isiolo, Kenya. Her experience made her an END FGM champion. She has dedicated her life towards mobilizing grassroots efforts to combat the harmful practice through advocacy, education, and empowering communities to adopt alternative cultural practices. Habiba points out that FGM is not tired to any culture and religion, and argues that its practice is a human rights violation against young girls.
Habiba educates community members about the health risks, including psychological trauma associated with FGM. She works with religious and cultural leaders, local authorities, parents, and youth to foster collective action against FGM. As a survivor, she provides safe spaces for other survivors to share their stories and seek support, while partnering with law enforcement and legal organizations to ensure cases of FGM are reported and perpetrators held accountable.
Below is the edited transcript of my interview with Habiba Haro:
JOYCE: How has your experience with FGM influenced your views and support for girls and women affected by FGM?
HABIBA: As a survivor, through my experience of FGM, I have learned that those affected by FGM need a safe space to talk about their experiences without fear of shame or rejection. This has also greatly shaped my understanding of the importance of compassionate and non-judgmental communication. This made me realize that supporting survivors requires empathy, patience, and an understanding that healing is an individual and ongoing process that can take some time, depending on the person who has experienced FGM or any other form of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Communication should acknowledge the survivor’s trauma, and foster a sense of hope and freedom.
JOYCE: Could you describe your role in supporting individuals affected by FGM and how you approach person-centered communication in your work?
HABIBA: In my practice, I work to provide emotional, psychological, and educational support to individuals affected by FGM. I focus on creating a supportive environment where survivors feel seen and heard, acknowledging their experiences as I went through the same thing at a very young age when my parents valued the culture more than anything else. Person-centered communication means that I listen closely to their needs, wants and feelings, ensuring that the conversation revolves around their unique situation along with their cultural beliefs. My goal is to empower survivors to make informed decisions without imposing my own judgment on their bodies, healing process, and future. I also make sure I am culturally sensitive and know that healing from FGM is not an easy journey.
JOYCE: In your experience, which communication approach has been most supportive and respectful when discussing FGM?
HABIBA: The most supportive and respectful communication I experienced was when I shared my journey with FGM as part of the conversation to foster trust among the participants. It was also deeply affirming when survivors approached me with empathy, patience, and a genuine willingness to listen.
I felt heard when the conversation was not rushed, and when the person speaking to me acknowledged the sensitivity of the topic. It is important to avoid using language that suggests that one is blaming the survivor or imposing solutions, but rather to show that you are there to support the survivors in whatever way they need because at the end of the day, Iam just part of them. Respecting the survivor and providing information in a non-judgmental way helps build trust.
JOYCE: How do you approach discussions about FGM with individuals or communities where it may be culturally sensitive?
HABIBA: I approach these discussions with respect and a strong understanding of cultural contexts. It is important to avoid making individuals or communities feel attacked or alienated because of their cultural practices. I seek to build trust and to build bridges of mutual respect by starting the conversation from a perspective which acknowledges that, in as much as we love our culture, there are some cultural practices that infringe on our rights as human beings. These harmful practices include FGM, child marriage, and child pregnancies. I also frame the conversations in terms of the health, rights, and well-being of women and girls. I emphasize the importance of informed choice and offer education about the harmful effects of FGM, but always respecting the community’s values and perspectives, while highlighting alternatives that empower them to make changes if they choose.
JOYCE: What strategies do you use to ensure you are listening without judgment, and how do you think that impacts the survivor’s comfort level?
HABIBA: I focus on being fully present and ensuring that my body language and facial expressions reflect openness and acceptance. I am also very patient, allowing the person to share their story at their own pace without interrupting. By providing a safe space where the survivor feels unconditionally accepted, it helps build trust and encourages them to share more openly. When survivors feel heard and not judged, it fosters a sense of safety and encourages deeper healing.
JOYCE: What role did empowerment play in your healing journey?
HABIBA: Empowerment was crucial to my healing journey. After experiencing FGM and its effects on me during my first birth, I struggled with feelings of powerlessness. However, as I began to understand my own rights, assert control of my body, and became keenly aware of my ability to make choices about my life, I began to heal. Empowerment enabledme to reclaim my narrative and find a sense of control over my decisions. It gave me the courage to speak out against the practice and to advocate for others, helping me feel like an active participant in my own healing rather than a passive victim.
JOYCE: How can you help empower survivors to make informed choices?
HABIBA: To help empower survivors, I provide them with accurate, unbiased information about FGM and its impact, as well as the available options for support and healing. Education and awareness campaigns that challenge the social norms around FGM, and that provide information about the harmful effects of the practice, play a critical role in preventing new cases of FGM. Survivors can be powerful advocates in these efforts, helping to break the silence and raise awareness about the need for change. I also encourage them to trust their own voices and make decisions that are right for them. Empowerment involves not just providing knowledge, but also helping survivors believe in their own strength and resilience. It is about affirming that they have the right to make decisions about their bodies and their future, and that those decisions are valid and be agents of change.
JOYCE: What advice would you give to others on how to talk about FGM in a way that is respectful and supportive?
HABIBA: When talking about FGM, it’s essential to approach the conversation with sensitivity and respect. Avoid judgmental language or assumptions. Listen more than you speak, and allow the survivor to share at their own pace. 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 do not 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.
JOYCE: If there is one thing you hope people would understand about the experience of FGM survivors, what would that be?
HABIBA: One thing I would hope people understand is that the impact of FGM is profound and lifelong, but survivors should not bet defined solely by the trauma. Many of us are strong, resilient, and actively working to overcome our experiences. It is important to see survivors as human beings, each with their own journey, struggles, and strengths. What survivors need most is not pity, but respect, understanding, and support as we heal and work toward a future free from this harmful practice.
Way forward
Survivors of FGM often experience physical, emotional, and psychological trauma. Peacebuilding focuses on healing relationships, which can extend to supporting survivors in reconciling with their communities or family members who perpetuated the practice. PCC creates safe spaces for survivors like Habiba to share their stories, empowering others while fostering individual and collective healing.
As we work to accelerate efforts towards strengthening alliances and building movements to end FGM, Person-Centered Communication (PCC) should be a key stratergy, not only during the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation but also as an integral component of other related initiatives aimed at uplifting the rights and dignity of women.
Endnotes
- United Nations Population Fund. (n.d.). International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. UNFPA. https://www.unfpa.org/events/international-day-zero-tolerance-female-genital-mutilation
- Health Innovation Network. (n.d.). What is person-centered care and why is it important? https://healthinnovationnetwork.com/
- Fontane Pennock, S. (2023). Embracing authenticity: Elevating engagement through person-centered communication. Quenza. https://quenza.com/blog/knowledge-base/person-centered-communication/
- Omwoha, J. (2025, January 9). Advancing peacebuilding in Africa: Marking 16 days of activism against gender-based violence (2024) by addressing female genital mutilation (FGM). Kujenga Amani. Retrieved from https://kujenga-amani.ssrc.org/2025/01/09/advancing-peacebuilding-in-africa-marking-16-days-of-activism-against-gender-based-violence-2024-by-addressing-female-genital-mutilation-fgm/
