<Waris Dirie, A Human Rights Activist and World-Class Supermodel>
Born into a goat-herding nomad family in Somalia, she went to London with her uncle and worked at McDonald’s as a janitor. Then, she was noticed by a world-famous photographer Terrence Donovan. She soon became a top model
Became the elite corps of models regularly requested by prestigious magazines such as American Vogue, Elle and others.
Became a model for top brands such as Chanel, Levi’s, L’Oréal and others.
Played a “Bond girl” in the film Living Day Lights.
She shared about her experience with FGM for first time in 1977 and soon became a special ambassador to the UN for elimination of FGM.
“FGM is a crime, It’s cruel, It is unacceptable.”
She was subjected to female circumcision at the age of 5.
She suffered from severe pain after she underwent FGM and she couldn’t move for 2 months.
When she was 13, she ran from her father when she heard about the arranged marriage to an old man, in exchange for 5 camels. This is the reason why she followed her uncle to London.
And this is the reason why she decided to become an anti-FGM activist for girls and women who are at the risk of FGM and to fight for rights of women and girls.
As a result of her decade-long efforts, in 2012, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution banning FGM and the UN has set a goal to eliminate FGM by 2030. This achievement became a milestone to saving millions of girls and women from the violent act.
Yearly, about 3.5 million and daily 9,800 and every 9 seconds, girls and women’s lives are threatened by the brutal act.
Through the books and films written and produced based on Waris Dirie’s life story, she has enlightened people throughout the world, about the cruelty of the tragic act and she is still actively promoting eradication of female genital mutilation.
