The last few months, the Girl Generation – Africa-Led Movement (TGG-ALM) team has been on a mission to shift how we speak about female genital mutilation (FGM) because words matter. From internal reflections to global dialogues, the Power of Language position paper is already sparking crucial conversations across the movement.
An Internal Webinar
Starting from within the consortium, TGG-ALM hosted an internal webinar for its consortium partners titled “Exploring the Power of Language in Ending FGM and Celebrating Survivor Leadership.”
About 40 staff and partners joined the virtual session, where the team unveiled the final position paper alongside its newly translated French and Amharic versions. Together, participants reflected on why survivors in the Survivors’ Leadership Initiative (SLI) have continuously called for reframing the narrative and how changing just a few words can transform survivor-led advocacy.
Discussions were candid. Some asked why TGG-ALM is dropping the word “cutting.” The answer was clear: ‘cutting’ can downplay the harm caused by FGM. Others raised real concerns, like in Somaliland, where using different terminology could put staff at risk. The team agreed to develop a simplified version of the paper and provide tailored support for roll-out in complex contexts.
One takeaway stood out: context matters. Partners committed to using the paper thoughtfully in their programmes while advocating for its full integration across the consortium’s work.
An External Webinar
Over 100 participants – from Kenya to The Gambia, Afghanistan to the UK among many other countries, gathered online for an external webinar themed “Exploring Words That Heal: Harnessing the Power of Language to End GBV and Elevate Survivors’ Leadership.”
Moderated by TGG-ALM’s Global Advocacy Director Dr. Leyla Hussein, the session brought together powerful voices including:
• Zeitun Mohamed, Kenyan gender advocate and survivor leader,
• Mariya Taher, Co-founder of Sahiyo, working to end female genital cutting in Asian communities, and
• Fatou Baldeh, founder of Women in Liberation and Leadership (WILL) in The Gambia and PhD Fellow at Canterbury Christ Church University.
Their contributions echoed in one voice that language shapes perceptions and perceptions shape reality.
Participants explored how reframing FGM as a human rights violation and a form of gender-based violence (GBV) can catalyze policy shifts, strengthen legal protections, and affirm survivors’ dignity. The chat was lively with questions on inclusive storytelling, legal language, and the intersection of FGM, culture, and racism.
Reflections
One of the participants wrote afterwards:
“What a wonderful session that was 👏 Learnt a lot and can’t wait to dig into the documents shared. Can’t wait to attend yet another powerful session from you.”
Importantly, the session included a sign language interpreter, enabling a participant with hearing impairment from Uganda to join the conversation and ask about the inclusion of survivors with disabilities in end-FGM programmes.
These conversations reveal that;
• Without survivor-led language, we cannot truly address FGM.
• Change is slow and deeply contextual, especially where FGM is seen as cultural or religious.
• Legal systems must name FGM explicitly to protect girls.
• Journalists and communicators are ready to adopt ethical, survivor-centred terms.
Moving forward, the programme will continue sharing the position paper with networks and is developing a toolkit to guide stakeholders in putting its concepts into practice. Plans are also underway to compile case studies showing how words, when chosen with care, can influence behaviour, policy, and funding commitments to end FGM.
