When teenage schoolgirl Fahma Mohamed first got involved with charity Integrate Bristol, she hardly imagined it would lead her to be hailed a hero by the Secretary General of the United Nations.
But the 17-year-old’s campaign on female genital mutilation has secured a promise from UN leader Ban Ki-moon to put the issue on the global stage.
It came when the world leader met the City Academy student, who has been at the forefront of calls to bring in new rules to educate children about the horrors of the practice.
After the London meeting, during which he called Fahma a “hero”, she said: “It was amazing. I was a little nervous but he and his wife were so welcoming and so kind, once we started talking I relaxed, in spite of all the cameras.
“We were just talking about the issues and the need for education and awareness around FGM and other forms of gender-based violence.
“The fact that he wanted to meet me felt like a huge honour, and I was representing all the young people of the charity Integrate Bristol so it felt like a big responsibility.
“He praised me for the campaign and for the work we were doing and promised to speak about FGM wherever he went.
“I think he realised that open, public support is essential if FGM and violence against women and girls are to stop. Abuse continues because people are silent. That silence has to be broken and schools have to be involved – not just in terms of safeguarding but also in terms of education.”
Fahma first became involved with the campaign through her involvement with Integrate Bristol, which runs projects helping youngsters develop their skills so that they can participate in society.
After more than 230,000 people signed the petition on the Change.org website, Education Secretary Michael Gove met Fahma and other members of Integrate Bristol and pledged to write to all head teachers drawing their attention to safeguarding guidelines and providing specific information about FGM.
Ban Ki-moon’s wife gave Fahma a jewellery box as a gift.
The Barton Hill teenager added: “We were all surprised that so many people signed the petition and we are all very grateful that people out there care so much.
“We won’t stop there though. We want education in schools and lots of schools have emailed us asking for peer education sessions and for resources. That’s what will make a real difference, that’s how we can end FGM in a generation.”