Too often, conversations about women and girls’ rights reduce people to what was done to them. But survivors are not tragedies. We are leaders, builders and protectors of our communities. I have lived the reality of child marriage and female genital mutilation and I have lived with what comes after: choosing dignity, agency and responsibility for shaping the future. Ending harmful practices is not only about laws. It is about power, who is heard, who is believed and who gets to lead. When women lead, communities are stronger, more just and more resilient. I am honored to contribute to the Rosenzweig Report on Women in Leadership, because visibility, data and sustained attention are how moral clarity becomes lasting change.
| – | Jaha Dukureh, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador for Africa & Global Advocate to End Female Genital Mutilation |