Written evidence from Shamsa Sharawe [FGM 0008]
My name is Shamsa Sharawe also known as Shamsa Araweelo and I am a survivor, activist, and advocate for justice for those impacted by Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). I hold a Policing and Criminal Justice degree and was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Winchester. In recognition of my work, I was named one of BBC’s 100 Women of 2023 and received the Girls’ Human Rights Award in 2024.
I am a historical FGM survivor—I was subjected to FGM at the age of six, before arriving in the UK and becoming a British citizen at seven. From that moment until the age of 31, I lived with the physical and psychological consequences of this form of violence, yet I was denied the medical care and justice I deserved. I was forced to fundraise £30,000 to access reconstructive surgery in Germany because the NHS failed to provide me with the healthcare I needed. When I sought help, I was told, "no doctor in this country will touch you," as if I was beyond repair. Meanwhile, labiaplasty—despite falling under the legal definition of FGM—is widely practiced in the UK.
The financial and emotional burden of seeking treatment abroad was overwhelming. At the time of my surgery, I had only raised £26,000, just enough to cover the procedure, leaving me in debt. My daughter had to take weeks off school, disrupting her education. If I had suffered complications, I would have had to fly back to Germany, because the UK healthcare system refuses to acknowledge our needs. No survivor should have to go through this. Reconstructive surgery should be available on the NHS.
The UK government and health services claim there isn’t enough evidence to support offering reconstructive surgery to survivors. But I am the evidence. This procedure is already performed on cancer patients and widely available in countries like Germany. Yet, survivors in the UK continue to be dismissed, forced to suffer in silence.
When I attended the Parliamentary Committee meeting, I was beyond disappointed. We were discussing the same basic issues that were raised 10–15 years ago, yet little has changed. Survivors like myself are professionals, academics, and fluent English speakers—we are not just statistics or nameless victims. Not all FGM survivors in the UK are non-English speaking migrants. Many were born here or arrived as children and still suffered this abuse. Yet no one asks how, when, or why. Survivors deserve justice, discrimination-free healthcare, and compassionate support. Most importantly, we deserve respect.
As a Black woman, I have felt profoundly neglected by both the NHS and the UK government. Had I been given proper support, I would have had a better quality of life and would not have suffered as much as I have from the age of 7 to 31. And although my FGM is considered historical, there are survivors born or raised in the UK who, if given the right support by the NHS, police, and government, would have pursued justice against the family members responsible for their FGM. But systemic racism continues to treat FGM as a "cultural issue" rather than the sexual violence that it is. FGM is not a cultural practice—it is a form of sexual abuse and violence.
I am here with clear demands:
1. A national survey of all women—to ensure FGM is not othered or dismissed as a "community issue."
2. Free, trauma-informed psychosexual therapy at all FGM clinics, for at least one year per survivor.
3. Reconstructive surgery available on the NHS for all survivors in need.
4. A full ban on medicalised and legalised FGM, including labiaplasty.
5. Mandatory FGM education in schools, colleges, and universities, alongside compulsory, up-to-date, survivor-led training for all medical professionals.
Through my TikTok activism, I have reached over 100 million people worldwide, 25% of whom are in the UK, where FGM education is still dangerously lacking. Survivors should not have to fight this hard for basic human rights. It is time for action. Will you stand with us?
March 2025