Awarding of the Medal and a Plaque to Waris Dirie 

One of the Laureates of the 2019 Sunhak Peace Prize was Waris Dirie. 

Waris Dirie has imroved the rights of millions of girls and women by leading a campaign to eradicate the tragic act of female genital mutilation by raising worldwide awareness of FGM as a violence and human rights issue. 

She provides reconstructive surgery and comprehensive cure for victims of FGM, who are physically and psychologically damaged by the brutal practice. 

Waris Dirie grasped that the practice is still carried out due to the “financial benefit” to families from selling their daughters at high cost, not because of tradition or culture. Therefore, as a fundamental solution to the issue, she is at the forefront of helping victims to stand independently, by providing basic literacy education and career education. 

Her works continue throughout the world, in places such as Sierra Leone and Djibouti, and her works will be carried on through many of her projects that she has established.