“I’m afraid of men, of everyone, of everything,
Mother of five Hawi Mohammed is a survivor and community activist against female genital mutilation.
A religious woman leads the charge
Hawi Mohammed, 46, is a mother of five, fervent community activist, respected local religious leader, and a survivor of one of the most severe forms of female genital mutilation.
She is also a prominent member of the Shamikhat Djibouti network – a regional religious leaders’ group against female genital mutilation.
As a child she was subjected to what is often referred to as infibulation, in which part or all of a girl’s external genitalia are removed and the opening sealed over. An agonising and dangerous procedure, it can lead to severe bleeding, infections and all too often death.
Hawi said she only understood the full extent of the violation when she hit puberty: the pain, especially during menstruation, was excruciating. “I couldn’t go to school. I needed painkiller injections just to function,” she emphasised.
Her fury fuelled her advocacy, and she now hosts a popular radio and television programme in the Afari language, delivers lectures in mosques that challenge traditional interpretations and emphasise the true spirit of Islam.
“People used to run away when we talked about female genital mutilation,” she explained. “But the new generation is different. Mothers are educated, informed. They are doctors, activists, and teachers.”
Hawi’s own daughters and nieces are living proof of her commitment: Despite facing pressure from family and community members, she refused to subject them to female genital mutilation.
“I’ve gone through enough pain – I won’t let any girl suffer like I did,” she said.
Multilateral action
As the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation approaches on 6 February, UNFPA is highlighting the importance for the international community to invest in resources, foster open discussions and challenge social norms, alongside local activists’ work.
This year’s theme, “Stepping up the pace: Strengthening alliances and building movements to end FGM,” underscores the critical need for collaboration. It urges all actors from youth to governments to take action.
“As agents of change, everyone has a role to play in ensuring girls grow up free from this harmful practice. The urgency to unite efforts in abolishing FGM has never been greater,” wrote the agency.