Efua Dorkenoo

Female genital mutilation is child abuse - in all instances, children experience confusion, guilt, fear and anxiety. The victim is silenced, and any sense of entitlement to her natural sexuality is removed forever.

In the areas where FGM is going down, it has been addressed in a violence against women framework. It's a gender power control issue, and it is not something you can just educate people out of. It requires people to think that if they do it, there are ramifications. We cannot just rely on people's good will.

A highly visible, shared identity can help bring activists from different backgrounds together with a common sense of purpose and push for change more effectively - from the global stage to within their own communities and families.

People have this idea that the more pious and devout I am, the more successful I am. Which is very dangerous. If you look at faith in that way, you're bound to fail at both - spiritually and in your career.

We continue to be exasperated by the view, apparently gaining momentum in certain circles, that armed robbery is okay as long as nobody gets hurt! The proper solution to armed robbery is a dead robber, on the scene.