Educating and empowering young people about forced marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM) and ‘honour’-abuse

We ACT because they… educate young people and deliver teacher training about forced marriage, FGM and ‘honour’-based abuse.

Educate2Eradicate are dedicated to educating young people about forced marriage, FGM, and ‘honour’-based violence in order to prevent and eradicate such violence.

The initiative is run by two inspirational women: Hibo Wardere and Arifa Nasim. Hibo Wardere is an FGM survivor who fled war-torn Somalia and is now a leading campaigner and educator on FGM. Arifa Nasim is a youth activist who has been campaigning against Forced Marriage for 4 years. She began her activism at Walthamstow School for Girls and her efforts have since ‘blossomed into a global campaign’ with #Youth4Change and Plan UK.

Educate2Eradicate run school assemblies, deliver teacher training, and go on panels to educate and raise awareness about each of these forms of violence against women and girls. Passionate about seeing such violence eradicated, they work tirelessly to empower young people and break silences. In addition to educating young people, they also train teachers about how to identify and respond to these forms of violence amongst the young people they work with.

To prevent violence against women and girls, we need to tackle its root causes. And to do this, education and training professionals are essential. The Istanbul Convention underlines the importance of education to tackle and prevent violence against women and girls and would ensure that such education is provided ‘in formal curricula and at all levels of education’ [Article 14]. The Convention would also guarantee training for professionals so that they are better equipped to detect and prevent violence, as well as aware of the needs and rights of women and girls who have experienced violence [Article 15].

Educate2Eradicate are doing brilliant work to prevent violence against women through education and training. We need more of it. And we need it to be guaranteed for young people and teachers across the country. This is what the Istanbul Convention can do.

ACT: Sign the ICchange petition to guarantee initiatives like Educate2Eradicate and ensure there are enough of them.

SUPPORT: Keep up to date with Educate2Eradicate on Twitter and Facebook and show them your support.