Demba Diawara

Demba Diawara is a Senegalese village chief and imam of Keur Simbara. He became a leading figure in the movement to abandon female genital cutting (FGC) after participating in Tostan education program in late 1990s. Quotes If I had known what I know now, I would have started 10 years ago. I did not know the amount of suffering our women had gone through. I did not know that the women in the village, who were sterile, had infections after their operations. I did not know that the girls who had died had died because of this practice … We men never talked about it. We never asked and we just never knew. Testimony to UK Parliament All-Party Group on FGM, 2003 If you impose on me, I'll fight. But if I am allowed the dignity and space to decide, I will fully cooperate. A person's family is not their village. The family includes one's entire social network: their relatives in many surrounding villages, in all of the places they marry, even in far off countries like France and the United States ... If you truly want to bring about widespread change ... they must all be involved. On organized diffusion strategy, 1997-1998 Life has legs and is walking. We need to walk with life or we will be left behind. External links