Do you live in the DC Metro area? We encourage you to join WeWillSpeakOut.US member Global Woman PEACE Foundation for a 5K Walk to end female genital mutilation on Saturday, October 31 at 10am.
Walk to End FGM will commence with check-in at 8:00 in the morning and a pre-walk program at 9:00am at 15th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. The 5k will begin at 10:00am and culminate with a keynote from renowned OB/GYN surgeon Dr. Marci Bowers. Internationally recognized for her expertise in pelvic and gynecologic surgeries, most especially her restorative work with survivors of female genital mutilation, Dr. Bowers will round out the walk-a-thon by speaking on this year’s theme: “Medical Perspectives of FGM”.
The purpose of the 5K Walk is to bring awareness to the issue of FGM and raise funds to benefit the Global Woman Center, which helps provide survivors with their restorative surgeries.
Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation has been an advocate for girls and women against the practice of FGM since its founding. More recently, the organization held focus groups to discuss and garner ideas for a support system to assist FGM victims and survivors. They have teamed up with like-minded organizations to establish an effective support system, which includes a hotline with trained counselors, career assistance and capacity building for the girls affected by female genital mutilation. The organization saw the need for an effective support system when young women began to divulge in confidence to the organization that their external genitals had been removed at an early age, and they still suffer the emotional affects.
To learn more about the 5k Walk to End FGM or to register for the event, please visit the Global Women Peace Foundation’s event page.