For too long, the voices of those most affected by FGM/C and child marriage have been excluded from decision-making spaces. Yet survivors bring critical knowledge, lived experience, and leadership that are essential to designing effective and meaningful solutions.
This article explores what it truly means to center survivor leadership — not as a symbolic gesture, but as a fundamental shift in power. It examines how organizations and institutions can move beyond token inclusion to genuinely share authority, resources, and visibility with survivors and grassroots leaders.
Through insights and examples, the piece highlights how survivor-led approaches lead to more inclusive, culturally relevant, and sustainable outcomes, while also transforming the broader movement toward greater accountability and equity.
