Efua Dorkenoo

A trailblazing activist who led the global campaign against female genital mutilation (FGM)

Efua Dorkenoo (1949–2014), a Ghanaian-British nurse and advocate, co-founded Equality Now and became the World Health Organization’s first technical expert on FGM. Her relentless efforts shifted FGM from a culturally taboo topic to a recognized human rights violation. Dorkenoo’s 1994 book Cutting the Rose exposed the devastating health impacts of FGM and inspired legislative changes in 26 African countries.

She pioneered the term 'medicalization of FGM' to combat attempts to legitimize the practice through clinics. By training grassroots activists and lobbying the UN, Dorkenoo helped pass Resolution 67/146 in 2012, banning FGM worldwide. Her strategy of involving survivors in advocacy reshaped global public health campaigns. Though she faced threats and cultural backlash, Dorkenoo’s work reduced FGM prevalence by 25% in a generation, proving that cultural norms can be challenged through evidence-based activism.