{
  "id": 7754701,
  "title": "Mali: One Man's Quest to End Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Mali",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/mali-one-mans-quest-to-end-female-genital-mutilation-fgm-in-mali",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-16T09:39:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "AllAfrica Health",
    "slug": "allafrica-health",
    "url": "https://allafrica.com/stories/202609160173.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Mali, Sidi Haidara, a father and respected community leader, has embarked on a personal journey to combat female genital mutilation (FGM). For years, he defended the practice as a deeply ingrained cultural tradition. However, after participating in training sessions and community dialogues organized by UN Women with support from the German government, his perspective began to shift. Realizing that no tradition should come at the expense of a girl's health, rights, or future, Haidara now advocates for the abandonment of FGM. He emphasizes that lasting change is achieved through dialogue, trust, and community ownership. Haidara actively organizes awareness-raising sessions with families, religious leaders, young people, and women, encouraging conversations that challenge long-held beliefs about FGM. As a result, parents are questioning the practice, families are abandoning it, and discussions about protecting girls are becoming more open. Haidara believes that protecting girls today is an investment in the future of their communities.",
  "summary": "[IPS] United Nations -- After years of defending FGM as a cultural practice, Sidi Haidara came to a realization: No tradition should come at the expense of a girl's health, rights, or future.",
  "key_points": [
    "Sidi Haidara, a respected community leader, combats FGM in Mali.",
    "After UN Women training, he shifts from defending to opposing FGM.",
    "Through dialogue and community ownership, FGM abandonment spreads."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "AllAfrica",
        "title": "Mali: One Man's Quest to End Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Mali",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/16/mali-one-mans-quest-to-end-female-genital-mutilation-fgm-in-mali-7756651",
        "published": "2026-09-16T09:39:58.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}