Birmingham Against FGM launch new video campaign on Zero Tolerance Day                     

Birmingham Against Female Genital Mutilation (BAFGM), a group comprised of multi-agency safeguarding professionals from across the city, has today (6 February 2024) launched a video campaign on International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) to raise awareness of the practice and how to report it.

FGM is a collective term for procedures which include the partial or total removal of the external female genital organs, or injury to the female genital organs, for cultural or other non-therapeutic reasons. It is child abuse and is illegal in the UK, including assisting someone to carry out FGM outside the country on a UK national or resident. However, in the past six months alone, over 600 women were referred to Birmingham hospitals who had gone through FGM.

BAFGM collaborated on the campaign with Sarian Karim Kamara, who went through FGM at age 11 and is a leading campaigner and activist working to end the practice both at home and abroad. Sarian has worked with the Home Office since 2014 and founded the organisation, Keep the Drums, Lose the Knife, which works to end FGM and educates women and the wider communities on the risks.

In the video campaign, Sarian talks about her own experience and encourages anyone who is worried about FGM, or knows someone who may be at risk, to report it to the NSPCC. Katherine Adams, Communications Officer for Birmingham Safeguarding Children Partnership (BSCP), also sat down with Sarian for an interview about her story, her advice for practitioners working with children and families, and what else needs to be done to eradicate the practice.

James Thomas, Chief Executive of Birmingham Children’s Trust, commented: "These resources are designed not only to raise public awareness of FGM, but to aid practitioners in their daily practice. Recognising the crucial role of frontline staff, it is vital they have a comprehensive understanding of FGM, including the ability to identify signs of its occurrence or potential risk. Given the devastating lifelong consequences of FGM, we need to ensure we are doing all we can to safeguard vulnerable children."

Watch the interview and short film 

• You can watch both videos here on the Trust website, or on the BAFGM webpage on BSCP’s website, please feel free to use them in your practice or in your workplace.
• The webpages also contain information on how to report FGM, how to spot the signs and local and national support services.
• You can also download ‘Bring FGM out of the Shadows’ awareness posters from the BSCP website, which can be used in your workspaces.

Penny Thompson CBE, Independent Chair of BSCP, added: "We hope the power of Sarian’s voice, combined with the collective efforts of safeguarding agencies across Birmingham, will ensure that the campaign's impact is far-reaching, helping to foster a city-wide movement against the harmful practice of FGM as well as providing crucial help to those in need. Looking ahead, we plan to engage directly with affected communities in Birmingham by building partnerships and promoting a 'Zero Tolerance' approach to FGM to instigate lasting change across the city."

How to report any concerns about FGM in Birmingham

If you’re worried a child is at risk of or has been through FGM call the NSPCC’s dedicated FGM helpline on 0800 028 3550 or email fgm.help@nspcc.org.uk.