Mojatu Foundation is leading the celebration of the first anniversary since Nottingham City became the first City of Zero-tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the UK.
The event, to be held on Tuesday 6 February, from 10.15am to 2pm, will be marked with a tree planting ceremony at Farmeco Community Care Farm, Screveton. NG13 8JL. Bookings can be made at https://goo.gl/AUjasa.
The ceremony will also include adoption of trees and installation of plaques, with personalised messages, as a gesture of supporting end of FGM campaign. Messages can be in memory of a loved one, a family, on behalf of an organisation, group, church, mosque etc. Tree adoption and plaque message can be booked at https://goo.gl/vopMLL.
The celebration also marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, celebrated on 6th February every year. Attendees include political, community and faith leaders, partners, charities and other organisations tackling FGM and individuals and well-wishers.
Through the Mojatu Foundation’s “End FGM in a Generation” campaign in UK and beyond, Nottingham City took a strong stance and declared Nottingham a “Zero-tolerance to FGM City,” the first city in the UK to do so. Survivors and Nottingham FGM Community Steering Group, run by Mojatu, spearheaded this declaration through working with local councillors and other partners. This remarkable achievement for Nottingham city and the great stride and achievements in the last 12 months will be celebrated during this ceremony.
Valentine Nkoyo, the CEO of Mojatu Foundation and chair of the Nottingham Community FGM Steering Group said: “Our campaign has come a very long way thanks to the commitment and handwork of survivors, community members, our strategic partners, funders and supporters who have continued to keep this subject on the agenda. We are working closely with the City and County FGM Strategy Board and other partners to ensure the Zero Tolerance pledge is implemented in our city.”
Mojatu Foundation adopted innovative approaches and partnerships in tackling FGM. An example is this tree adoption approach where a local farmer, David Rose of Farmeco Community Care Farm joined us in tackling FGM, facilitating community cohesion and better linkage between the city and the countryside dwellers.
David said: “I am very proud of the work the Mojatu Foundation does to support FGM affected communities and engagement of the wider society in farm and environmental work. I am glad to see partnerships and networks that have been developed through our partnership including linking social issues with agriculture and the environment, especially in the edible woodland project.”
Cllr Jackie Morris, former Lord Mayor of Nottingham who moved the FGM motion said:
“FGM is something that many people think shouldn’t be talked about but that’s partly what makes the practice continue. That’s why I helped to move the motion, to make it known that Nottingham is a Zero-tolerance City to FGM.”
International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation is a United Nations sponsored annual awareness day that takes place on February 6th as part of the UN’s efforts to eradicate FGM. This is a movement for the rights of women and their bodies, as well as the protection of their physical, emotional and mental health. These efforts are to benefit actions fighting violence against women and girls as a whole.
Some important facts about FGM include:
It comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons
Over 200M girls and women worldwide are affected by FGM
Over 137,000 girls and women in England and Wales are believed to have gone through FGM
Over 60,000 girls in the UK are believed to be at risk
About 80 cases a year are being recorded in Nottingham only.