Khadija Gbla
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Khadija Gbla is a feminist and human rights activist from Sierra Leone. She works as a cultural consultant, a keynote speaker and an anti-FGM campaigner.[1]
Gbla stated, "FGM impacts you at every stage of your life; every woman has her own shame and isolation in her experience. I want people to know how terrible this is, what a violation of women and girl rights. There is so much education that needs to be done. It’s up to us to end this human rights violation."[2]
Personal life
In 1991 her family moved to the Gambia and later to Australia for safety reasons, where they were granted refugee status in 2001.[3]
Khadija was mutilated in the Gambia when she was nine, but did not understand it at the time. The FGM was performed with a rusty knife on the unsterile floor of a hut. It left her with scarring complications, chronic pain and stress.[4] Gbla was 13 when she realized she was an FGM victim.
Career
She volunteered for a charity in South Australia called Women's Health Statewide. She helped educate doctors, police officers and the community about FGM. Khadija works to abolish FGM in Australia, setting up charity NO FGM Australia to provide healthcare and educational support for women and girls.[4]
Khadija worked as a peer educator for South Australia's Women's Health Statewide program, where she talked to health professionals about female genital mutilation — helping them understand what it is, where it happens and the cultural beliefs that surround it. She advises South Australian Government Minister's Youth Council on organizing camps and activities for newly-arrived refugees and to raise awareness about sexual and mental health issues among her peers. She represented Australia in the international arena at the Harvard National Model United Nations and the Commonwealth Youth Forum of Australian and Africa Dialogue, and she speaks at many events.[5]
In 2018 Khadija stated, "I began volunteering for Women’s Health Statewide, a service that helps women with their health and well-being needs. This is where I started talking to health professionals about female genital mutilation (FGM) — helping them understand what it is, where it happens, the cultural beliefs that surround it and how to tackle it."[2]
Her firm Khadija Gbla Cultural consultancy offers cultural awareness training and facilitation to government agencies, for non profit organizations and individuals; and advocacy and mentoring. She has spoken at multiple TEDx events.[6] Furthermore, Sheis the Executive Director of the nonprofit organisation "No FGM Australia" which works to protect Australian girls from FGM and to support FGM survivors. She is an Ambassador for "Our Watch", an organisation established to change attitudes of violence towards women and their children, and Director of Reacher’s Philanthropy - Committed to Women's and Girl's Self Empowerment.[7]
Recognition
Her work has been honored multiple times:
- 2016 Women's Weekly and Qantas Women of the Future finalist
- 2014 The Advertiser South Australia’s 50 most Influential Women
- 2013 Madison Magazine Australia's top 100 inspiring Women
- 2013 Amnesty International Human Rights Activists to watch out in 2013
- 2011 State, Finalist Young Australian of the Year.[6]
References
- ^ "Khadija Gbla (@KhadijaGbla) | Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
- ^ a b "Faces of our neighbourhoods: Khadija Gbla - Amnesty International Aust". Amnesty International Australia. 2018-05-10. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
- ^ "Meet human rights activist Khadija Gbla". www.adelaidenow.com.au. 2019-06-13. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
- ^ a b Thing, Selena Shannon for The Real (2018-03-08). "Female genital mutilation survivor says Australian health system is 'endangering women'". ABC News. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
- ^ Gbla, Khadija. "Khadija Gbla | Speaker | TED". www.ted.com. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
- ^ a b "Khadija Gbla ... passionate community leader and activist". Saxton Speakers Bureau. Retrieved 2019-01-29.
- ^ "Khadija Gbla | SA Rural Womens Gathering Minlaton". Retrieved 2019-01-29.[permanent dead link]