On September 30th, I had the honor of joining survivors, activists, and allies from around the world to participate in the 9th Annual Global Woman Awards the 10th Annual Walk to End FGM. I was grateful for the opportunity to meet with my peers in the anti-FGM/C field in-person, and share in the collective energy that is fueling the work to end this harmful practice.
The ceremony kicked off with a musical performance, a keynote speaker, and opening remarks by the Global Woman P.E.A.C.E Foundation’s founder, Angela Peabody. The award ceremony began with the category of legal and policy work in the anti-FGM/C field; this year’s awardee was our very own Mariya Taher! Though Mariya was unable to attend the event in-person, I was excited to celebrate the recognition of her hard work and share some remarks on her behalf.
I was eager to tell the crowd about Sahiyo’s work as Coalition members in Massachusetts, Washington, and Connecticut, and the successes of passing legislation in the former two states. I explained that passing legislation is only half the battle, and the other half is holding legislators accountable for upholding the law. I also emphasized the importance of holistic approaches to ending FGM/C, such as educational initiatives and programs for survivors.
After accepting the award on Mariya’s behalf, I was delighted to hear about the accomplishments of the other awardees, including an educator, doctors, survivors, students, and more. I felt hopeful for the future of this work seeing many young activists in the crowd.
When the award ceremony ended, the group gathered to walk from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial and back, united in chanting “No More FGM!” Many patrons of the National Mall stopped us to ask what FGM stood for; we shared pamphlets and information to educate them, and hopefully fueled their curiosity to learn more. As we sat on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial chanting, clapping, stomping, and cheering, I was reminded of the power of being a part of something bigger than myself. This event was something I won’t soon forget, and I’ll look forward to many future celebrations of our work to end FGM/C.