End Famale Genital Mutilation

Articolo di Monica Macchi che ringraziamo sempre molto.

Erik Ravelo è un artista cubano diventato famoso per alcune campagne pubblicitarie come Unhate, progettata per Benetton, fotomontaggi fantapolitici tra leader che si baciano (questo ha destato particolare scalpore…);

 

 

Fahma Mohammed è invece una studentessa somala di Bristol di 17 anni che ha lanciato tramite Change.org una petizione ripresa poi dal “The Guardian” per azioni capillari di sensibilizzazione nelle scuole britanniche sulle mutilazioni genitali femminili. Secondo gli ultimi dati OMS questa pratica colpisce ancora più di 130 milioni di bambine nel mondo: nel solo Regno Unito, nonostante sia illegale dal 1985, si calcola che ogni anno vengano infibulate o escisse circa 66.000 bambine e ragazze e ce ne siano più di 20.000 “a rischio”.
Erik ha voluto dare il suo contributo a questa campagna creando il logo presentato lo scorso fine settimana: una lametta arrugginita e affilata che evoca l’inequivocabile ma rotta, quindi inutilizzabile e per di più trafitta in diagonale dallo slogan della campagna: “End Female Genital Mutilation”.  
Ed ecco il testo della petizione (che si può ancora firmare) a Micheal Gove sottosegretario
 

britannico all’educazione per formare insegnanti sul tema delle MGF prima dell’estate, “la stagione del taglio” quando approfittando delle vacanze scolastiche, molte ragazze vengono rimandate nei Paesi d’origine per essere sottoposte a questo rito che le priva del piacere sessuale e le condanna al dolore e a continue infezioni.

Warning: This petition is about FGM and may be distressing for some readers.


You wouldn't think school girls in the UK have to worry about female genital mutilation (FGM), but we do. Although it is illegal in the UK, it is still happening - 24,000 girls in the UK are currently at risk of FGM. People just don't talk about it, doctors don't check for it and teachers don't teach it.

FGM is child abuse. It forces girls into a future of pain from the moment they are cut. They face the risk of infertility, pain during urination, menstruation, childbirth and sexual intercourse. The pain doesn’t go. It’s a traumatic experience they have to live with every single day, physically and emotionally.

That’s why I’ve started this campaign with The Guardian.

I know of people who have been cut - anyone who knows girls from FGM affected communities will know girls who have been cut. We were told Ofsted would be asking schools what they are doing to protect these girls from FGM, but it never happened.

Me and my classmates campaigned for our school to do more on FGM. Now all the girls at school know the risks of FGM and feel able to talk about it. But this is one school. We need this to happen at every school in the country - so that no girl is missed.

We need to act now. Many girls are sent away to be cut over the summer holidays. Some are cut at home. They call it the 'cutting season'. If every headteacher was given the information they need to talk about FGM to students and parents we could reach every girl who is at risk before the holidays. We could convince families not to send their daughters to be cut and we can help girls who are at risk. We could break the cycle so the next generation is safe.

That’s why I’m calling for Michael Gove to get schools to teach about FGM before the summer holidays.

Michael Gove -- we’re serious, we’re not going to back down and we won’t go away.