Nankali Maksud shares her top recommendations to commemorate International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
This year’s International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is observed under the theme, “Partnership with Men and Boys to Transform Social and Gender Norms to End Female Genital Mutilation.” To commemorate the day, we invited Nankali Maksud to share her top recommendations on the subject matter. Nankali is the Senior Advisor for Harmful Practices at UNICEF. She has worked in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Somalia championing the rights of vulnerable children. Nankali holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and a Masters in International Law, and is also a fellow of the fourth class of the Africa Leadership Initiative in East Africa, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
Nankali’s first recommendation is “Hot off the press,” released by UNICEF today. Her recommendations are nothing short of insightful, enjoy!
Engaging Boys and Men to Help End Female Genital Mutilation
By UNICEF
While many boys and men in practicing communities oppose FGM, their potential influence in eliminating the harmful practice is far from being realized. I recommend this report because it clearly articulates where boys and men stand in terms of opposition, their decision-making power, and influence to end the practice.
Gender Transformative Approaches for the Elimination of FGM
By UNICEF
This is a practical guidance on how anti-FGM programmes can integrate gender transformative approaches in their efforts to end FGM. It is intended for stakeholders across the board addressing FGM including civil society, communities, governments, and researchers, from the grassroots to the global level and I recommend it because it is short, yet effective in its explanation of the approach based on an average programme cycle.
Building Power: Building Movements - The Role of Social Movements on the Elimination of FGM
By UNICEF
Feminist movements have played a central role in placing FGM at the top of the global agenda for human rights and gender equality. For that reason, social movements – now more than ever – have great power in FGM elimination; but we often do not realize where to start or recognize ongoing and existing movements to build on. This guidance document does exactly that – it provides an overview of key concepts and approaches, including practical guidance on designing and implementing effective interventions that enhance adolescent girls’ agency, including collective action for social change.
However Long the Night: Molly Melching's Journey to Help Millions of African Women and Girls Triumph
By Aimee Molloy
In However Long the Night, Aimee Molloy tells the unlikely and inspiring story of Molly Melching, an American woman whose experience as an exchange student in Senegal led her to found Tostan and dedicate almost four decades of her life to the girls and women of Africa.
Her Is My Name
By Narindwa Matikanya
Her Is My Name was written by my 13-year-old daughter Narindwa Matikanya. What started as a middle school class assignment about female figures of inspiration in Narindwa’s own life as well as the broader world evolved into a full book. The book has since expanded to include a broader spectrum of women, irrespective of time, and how they are influencing her to be the woman she wants to become. The story is personal, relatable, and inspiring. Most importantly to me, is this is a reflection of what young African girls can grow up to be if given opportunities in their lives – which is a key prevention strategy for harmful practices like female genital mutilation.
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