Engaging the next generation of activists

Chiara Cosentino, Coordinator of the Youth Ambassadors programme

"We realised at the Network that our commitment to end FGM in Europe and beyond would be more complete and sustainable through mobilizing and engaging the next generation of activists.

This is why two years ago we created the End FGM EU Youth Ambassadors Programme, to provide a common platform for diaspora girls and young women living in different European countries to come together, share their experiences and build a unified youth-led European movement to end FGM.

Every year we bring the youth together to help them build their capacities, plan activities, strategise together… and also have some fun! On 23-24 February, during an intense and inspirational weekend, the ten young women looked back at what they had done in 2018, started planning their actions for 2019, took part in the #MyVoiceMatters Campaign, and got even the chance to visit Brussels, eat fries and attend the live performance of the “Vagina Monologues” by Eve Ensler.

2019 will be a year full of youth actions, where the End FGM EU Youth Ambassadors will be involved in writing a Youth Engagement Manifesto, take part at national level in our European Elections Campaign to ask candidates to keep working to ending FGM, and will be implementing a European awareness raising project created by and for them! Keep following us for more updates!"