Advisors

Our advisors are experts in the fields of FGM, EU law, media, health and human rights, amongst others.

Sofia Branco

Sofia Branco is a Portuguese professional journalist since 1999, currently working at the news national agency. In 2002, she wrote the first article about female genital mutilation (FGM) in the Portuguese daily newspaper Público, where she worked from 1999 to 2009. She has written a number of articles regarding FGM and her work has been awarded several times, including by the Portuguese National Assembly and by the International Federation of Journalists (Natali Prize for Human Rights 2004).

Dr Els Leye

Dr Els Leye has an expertise in the field of sexual and gender-based violence, and more specifically of female genital mutilation (FGM), and is currently team leader of the Sexual and Gender Based Violence unit of the International Centre for Reproductive Health, at the Ghent University in Belgium. Dr Leye is co-founder of the European Network for the Prevention of Harmful Traditional Practices, and of the association La Palabre in Senegal, for vulnerable children and women.

Dr Comfort Momoh MBE

Dr Comfort Momoh, is an FGM Consultant/Public Health Specialist with extensive experience of holistic women centred care management. She joined the National Health Services in 1985 and has worked in a number of departments. Dr Momoh recently appeared on the 2011 “Women Inspiring Europe” calendar produced by the European Institute of Gender Equality.

Katja Svensson

Katja Svensson has worked on gender, development and security issues within a wide range of professional settings, including academic institutions, the UN, policy firms and NGOs. She also worked with the END FGM European Campaign to develop the campaign's strategy document. She is currently posted in Liberia as an expert on security sector reform for the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

Céline Verbrouck

Céline Verbrouck is a lawyer at the Brussels bar (F) since 1999. She mainly practices family law, international private law, immigration and labour law. In 2008 she got the first prize at the Concours international de plaidoirie au mémorial de Caen for her defence of an asylum seeker fleeing FGM. She is the President and the founder of the association Intact, a Belgium NGO offering legal advice to individuals or professionals looking for information or training on FGM and other harmful traditional practices.