This lady in these pictures and video is Fatty Sheriff. She is a resident of Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa. She is a victim of persecution from members of her family for refusing to undergo Female Genital mutilation (F G M). She managed to escape from her aunt and some other family members after they tried to force her for it to be done on her. In a short video interview with Ibrahim Jalloh of SUPPORT FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL (SFWACI), she explains how she was lucky to escape from her aunty and relatives and how life is now for her as she has now been abandoned by them and worse of it all she is been persecuted by members of her family. She has been declared wanted by members of her family.
February 2017 – Female genital mutilation denies women and girls their dignity and causes needless pain and suffering, with consequences that endure for a lifetime and can even be fatal, United Nations Secretary-GeneralAntónio Guterres has said, stressing that the UN Sustainable Development Agenda promises an end to this practice by 2030.
“On this Day of Zero Tolerance, let us build on positive momentum and commit to intensifying global action against this heinous human rights violation for the sake of all affected women and girls, their communities and our common future,” the Secretary-General said in a message on the International Day, marked annually on 6 February to strengthen momentum towards ending the practice of female genital mutilation, globally recognized as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women and girls. The practice also violates their rights to health, security and physical integrity, their right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and their right to life when the procedure results in death.
To promote the abandonment of FGM, coordinated and systematic efforts are needed, and they must engage whole communities and focus on human rights and gender equality. These efforts should emphasize societal dialogue and the empowerment of communities to act collectively to end the practice. They must also address the sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls who suffer from its consequences.