Dear friends,

First ever report on the Medicalisation of FGM

In June, we completed our first thematic report on FGM and Medicalisation (web link: goo.gl/beL5iy). This is very important and has resulted in being interviewed on Premier Radio by a large media house (web link: goo.gl/B0OWJn).

Hoda Ali (a trustee of 28 Too Many) was featured in The Guardian (web link: goo.gl/jVuJnF) and The Hippocratic Post. We hosted a blog on our website by global director at The Girl Generation and we have an article coming out in a forthcoming leading women’s magazine. We also mailed the report to over 700 contacts and we responded strongly to The Economist who published a report promoting “mild” FGM, which we obviously disagree with.

Researching FGM across Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt

We have completed our largest and most complex country report so far, our 11th; it’s on Nigeria, which we will launch in the autumn. Meanwhile we have commenced

the process of updating our first Kenya report, which included our Africa co-ordinator Esther visiting Dr Linah Jebii Kilimo, chair of the Kenya anti-FGM board.

Over the last couple of years, we have begun working on our 12th report, which will be on Egypt, and the 13th on Sudan (a double report) which we hope to complete next year if the countries stay stable for our research.

Esther’s recent trip to Laikipia, Kenya.

Following my training trip to Laikipia with Esther, Maasai Warriors and the Cricket Without Boundaries team last year, Esther rejoined the team in June in order to train others. She also evaluated progress since the 2015 project, enabling us to decide how to take this work forward. This year 880 students were trained in just the first two days at four schools and another five schools were trained in the remaining five days. Further

ANN-MARIE WILSON LINK LETTER NO.24 | AUGUST 2016

Hello from the UK

CHURCHMISSIONSOCIETY.ORG/ANN-MARIE-WILSON

Name: Ann-Marie Wilson

Location: Africa and Britain

My Role: Through the charity, 28 Too Many, which I founded in 2010, we undertake country-specific research and share knowledge with influencers – UK, national and local governments, policy makers, media, community activists, faith leaders, educationalists, social workers, medical teams – to prevent FGM and to protect girls from perpetrators who need to understand that prosecution will follow committing FGM in countries where it’s illegal.

My Call: Passionately working to end female genital mutilation (FGM) and other forms of violence against women and girls globally and specifically across Africa and the diaspora where it is practiced – aiming to reduce it by 10% in 10 countries in 10 years

Top: Esther, 28 Too Many’s Africa co-ordinator, teaching Maasai children in Laikipia about ending FGM as part of the Cricket Without Boundaries initiative

Bottom: Ann-Marie giving evidence as a witness at the Home Office Chaired FGM Round Table discussion prior to the Select Committee on FGM

CHURCHMISSIONSOCIETY.ORG/ANN-MARIE-WILSON

details are on our Facebook page and the Cricket Without Boundaries blog.

We were encouraged to note that the FGM message was well remembered by the students in all the schools that were visited in the previous year. Some schools have started using school protection orders for girls who are reported as being at risk of FGM. This is supported by providing the girls with boarding facilities although these are basic and the schools are stretched in their ability to provide these facilities. As a result of the project last year, more girls have been reported to local authorities such as the police and One More Day (the rescue centre) to seek help.

This year we were able to train around 15 girls at Daraja Academy to be trainers on anti-FGM to their peers. The elders on their own volition requested training which enabled them to train other community members.

Esther writes: “The project is about empowering individuals, in particular girls and women, and communities alike to make informed choices that improve their lives. Our efforts are creating ripples whose effect we are starting to see, and we believe that this wave of change will bring about the end of FGM and the end to disregarding women’s rights with the next generation.”

Advocacy in the UKOur team was pleased to attend

various FGM stakeholder meetings including meeting with Sarah Champion and Jeremy Corbyn to

discuss Labour Party policy. We also followed up on asking for a UK national action plan on FGM by speaking at a Home Office roundtable at Portcullis House, prior to a select committee. This was on camera and can be viewed through this link: goo.gl/eQAbuU

Raising awareness of FGM via the arts

The arts are a good way to get the message of FGM across to varied audiences. We were recently involved in an FGM art exhibition in Oxford where we partnered with

Oxford Lawyers Without Borders (OxLWOB) students. I took three supporters to a very powerful play, “Cuttin’ It”, at the Young Vic in May and others attended as it moved to the Royal Court Theatre. This real story explains how FGM happens in London tower blocks, as supported by the latest FGM reported figures – over 5,000 new cases in the UK.

We were pleased to hold our latest board meeting at Shoreditch Town Hall and were given a private tour of the art exhibition “Unsterile” at the adjoining Autograph ABP Gallery. One of our trustees, Hoda, also spoke at a powerful panel discussion held at this venue in July on her experience of FGM and her response to the artwork. This powerful exhibition is open until 17 September and is well worth a visit (free entry).

Sharing the message of FGM across the faith communities

I have had a busy three months sharing about our work with various faith and community groups. I was honoured to represent 28 Too Many at the 140th anniversary of the Mother’s Union at St Paul’s Cathedral.

We have been adopted by St John’s Parish Church, Chipping Barnet, as a link church and I shared my testimony with them in June and will preach there in September. We also attended Elaine Storkey’s talk on human rights issues such as FGM at St John’s where we feature in Elaine’s latest book “Scars Across Humanity”.We have also reconnected with link church, Mill Hill East, now led by Joshua Kane and I preached on “Justice and Calling” in July. St Barnabas,

“Our efforts are creating ripples whose effect we are starting to see, and we believe that this wave of change will bring about the end of FGM and the end to disregarding women’s rights with the next generation.”

Top left: The board of 28 Too Many

Top right: Ann-Marie, Father Chris and members of the community at St John’s Church, Chipping Barnet

ANN-MARIE WILSON LINK LETTER NO.24 | AUGUST 2016

Finchley – my home church – hosted a screening of The Warriors movie and followed this with a Q&A panel for those interested in our work, following a “taster” clip. The interview was also shown to 750 attendees on mission Sunday in July.

There was plenty of interest in our work at Malling Abbey on my recent retreat and by our new bishop Rob (the Bishop of Edmonton) who was a great help to us when he was in Hackney. I hope to have my pioneer lay minister licensing ceremony by him in the Diocese of London in the near future.

Catching up with CMS’s Global Missioners

In late July, I headed back to All Nations College (ANCC), where I studied in 2007-9 and attended CMS’s induction in 2010. Six years on, halfway through my 12 years of service, I returned for my second “end of three years” conference, meeting with 50 plus people beginning, continuing or returning from service, as we were recommissioned for the next step in our journey.

Summer Successes

May• Cuttin’ It play – Young Vic

• Oxford Lawyers Without Borders (OxLWOB) three-year project report

June• Board away day

• Oxford Art and FGM exhibition

• Medicalisation report launch

• Mother’s Union 140th anniversary, St Paul’s Cathedral

• Trip to Laikipia, Kenya

• “Cut Flowers” book launch (a school resource)

• Talk at St John’s Church, Barnet

July• “Warriors” film screening, St

Barnabas’s Church, Finchley

• Preach at Mill Hill East Church

• CMS conference at ANCC

• Home Office FGM stakeholders meeting

• Home Office round table/select committee attendance

September• 11: Preach at St john’s, Barnet

(9.30am service)

• 15: Talk at Keele Conference on Genital Autonomy

• 25: Preach at Shoeburyness Baptist Church

October• 24: AGM/board meeting

• 15: Nigeria Country report launch

• 7-9: CMS Africa conference, Swanwick

Love,

Ann-Marie xxYou can give online to Ann-Marie at: churchmissionsociety.org/ann-marie-wilson

Contact details: annmarie@28toomany.org

I WOULD LOVE YOU TO PRAY FOR ME

Please take time to pray for me as I continue to put my call into action

Please pray for the work that we are doing and for wisdom and discernment as we move forwards in the fight against FGM.

Please pray for me personally and for physical and spiritual protection, and that I will get proper rest in the midst of such busyness.

Please pray for favour from governments and other organisations as we meet with them.

Left: With some of my CMS colleagues at a conference at All Nations College