“We are not free until every woman and girl is free.”
Former Miss South Africa and UNFPA Global Champion for Women and Girls, Shudufhadzo Musida, has traveled to the Mara Region in Tanzania to stand on the front lines alongside the Kuria community in their ongoing battle against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Partnering with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA East and Southern Africa), Musida spent time on the ground engaging with local law enforcement, healthcare workers, community leaders, and brave survivors who have stood up against the harmful practice.
“FGM Is Harm, and It Can End”
Sharing poignant footage and photos from her field visits on social media, Musida reflected deeply on the economic pressures and social norms that perpetuate FGM, emphasizing that harmful practices should never be shielded under the guise of tradition.
“FGM is sustained by deeply rooted social norms and economic pressures, but it is not culture. It is harm, and it can end,” Musida stated. “Free to have bodily autonomy. Free to choose the life she wants for herself. Free to access education, opportunity, and a future that is not determined by harmful practices.”
During her visit, Musida praised the courage of local grassroots advocates working daily to shelter vulnerable young girls, provide legal protection, and offer medical support to survivors.
Her message across East Africa remains unwavering: every woman and girl deserves full autonomy over her body, her health, and her future.
