Five prominent Africans who suffered female genital mutilation

Fatima Maada Bio

Sierra Leone’s First Lady Fatima Maada Bio astounded everyone with her statement demanding an end to the ceremonial circumcision of girls by the influential Bondo society in her country at the Women Deliver Conference in Vancouver, Canada.

Her statement came as a surprise to many because in the past she has said that she will not campaign against FGM.

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According to UN data, Sierra Leone has one of the highest rates of Female Genital Mutilation in Africa with nine in 10 girls being circumcised in the country during initiations into powerful secret societies  known as the Bondo.

Having gone through mutilation at a young age, Bio is a strong advocate of girl’s rights. Her campaign called ‘Hands off our girls’, advocates for protecting the girl child, against rape and early marriages.