Waris Dirie is a human rights activist who fought for the eradication of Female genital mutilation (FGM). As the first person to draw the world’s attention to the violence of FGM, which causes extreme pain and can also lead to death, she raised it as a human rights issue and has been leading the anti-FGM campaign to eradicate the cruel practice. Through her efforts, people around the world have started to view FGM as a violent crime. The campaign saved millions of girls who would have been at risk of the violent practice.
Born into a goat-herding nomad family in Somalia, she underwent female circumcision at the age of 5. In 1997, when her fashion career as a world-class supermodel was at its peak, she revealed her experience with FGM on behalf of hundreds of millions of African women who had gone through similar procedures. This brave start led her to become a human rights activist to end the violent practice that is being carried out in Africa. She was appointed as the first Special Ambassador of the United Nations for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation in 1997, and has been investing tireless efforts into anti-FGM campaign.
As a result of her efforts, 15 African Union member countries ratified the Maputo Protocol, in which Article 5 lists FGM as a harmful practice that must be ended. In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution banning the practice and set a goal to eliminate FGM by 2030. This milestone became a turning point that saved the lives of millions of girls who were potentially at risk of the violent practice.