How do we engage a generation that has grown up online in conversations about FGM/C?

In this special collaboration with the End FGM European Network, Patricia Mars is joined by Bassmala Morkaz to discuss The Purple Chair, a youth-led series created to break the silence around FGM and other issues affecting women and girls.

Together, they explore how digital media can help make difficult conversations more accessible, why youth voices matter in advocacy and what it takes to transform awareness into engagement.

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In this episode of Changing Narratives, host Patricia Mars is joined by Leandra Becerra, Legal Advisor and Advocacy Programmes for Latin America and the Caribbean with Equality Now, representing the Americas Alliance. Together, they explore how FGM/C is understood and addressed in Colombia and across the Americas and why these perspectives are critical to reshaping the global narrative.

This conversation examines what true community ownership looks like in legal and advocacy efforts and how Indigenous communities are leading change in ways that challenge dominant frameworks. Leandra also reflects on the importance of bringing global attention to FGM/C in the region without reinforcing harmful stereotypes or "othering" the very communities most affected.

Looking ahead, the episode explores the long-term vision of the Americas Alliance: what meaningful collaboration could look like and what success might mean in the years to come.

This is a conversation about expanding the lens, shifting power and rethinking what it means to end FGM/C globally.

In this episode of Changing Narratives, we shine a spotlight on the DMV Coalition and a historic milestone: the passage of Washington, D.C.'s law to end FGM/C a year ago.

Joining Patricia Mars are Angela Peabody, Founder and President of Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation, and Dr. Karen McDonnell, Associate Professor at GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. Together, they share how the DMV Coalition came together, what made this advocacy effort successful and why this moment matters for survivors, communities and the broader movement to end FGM/C.

From the Coalition's beginnings to the ripple effects across Maryland, Virginia, and beyond, this conversation highlights the power of collaboration and the importance of keeping momentum alive.

Linktree to the coalition is here.

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In this special episode of Changing Narratives, host Patricia Mars brings listeners inside the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), capturing reflections from advocates, leaders and participants on the ground.

Through a series of short conversations, this episode explores what's standing out, what challenges remain and what it will take to move from dialogue to action.

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In this episode of Changing Narratives, host Patricia Mars sits down with Sean Callaghan, a researcher whose work is shedding new light on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in the United States.

Together, they unpack what the data tells us — and what it doesn't. From research challenges and systemic gaps to the balance between statistics and lived experiences, this conversation dives deep into why data is essential for effective advocacy, survivor-centered policies and change.

Link to Sean's latest report.

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In this episode of Changing Narratives, host Patricia Mars sits down with Naimah Hassan to unpack a new report produced through a collaboration between AWRA and Vavengers.

Naimah shares the inspiration behind the report, the process of collaboration and the stories and perspectives that stayed with her throughout the project. The conversation also digs into how the report contributes to global dialogues on rights, agency, and accountability, and why its findings matter for policymakers, funders, advocates and anyone working toward a coordinated response to FGM/C. The report can be found here.

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In this episode of Changing Narratives, host Patricia Mars sits down with two leading voices working at the intersection of medicine, policy, and human rights.

Dr. Marci Bowers—the only surgeon in the U.S. trained in both gender-affirming surgery and functional clitoral restoration for FGM/C survivors—joins Sinéad, a policy expert working to protect transgender rights and survivor-centered FGM/C advocacy.

Together, they break down one of today's most harmful and politically motivated narratives: the deliberate conflation of gender-affirming care with FGM/C.

This conversation explores:

• The real medical similarities and key distinctions between gender-affirming surgery and clitoral restoration

• How "protect the children" rhetoric is weaponized to restrict both survivor care and trans healthcare

• The policy strategies urgently needed to counter anti-rights misinformation

• Who benefits from confusion, fear-mongering and false comparisons—and at what cost

This is a clarifying, timely and deeply necessary episode for anyone working in health, policy, gender justice or survivor advocacy.

Tune in—and help us change the narrative.

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In the season 2 premiere of Changing Narratives, host Patricia Mars sits down with Dr. Crista Johnson-Agbakwu and Olivia Harris from the Hope MA Project (Holistic Organized Partnerships to End FGM/C in MA), a statewide initiative strengthening prevention, care and coordinated action around female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Massachusetts.

Together, they discuss how the momentum from the 2020 legislation is being used to build a more robust and survivor-centered system of support across the state. Olivia and Crista share why bringing survivors, service providers and researchers together is essentail, what gaps still exist in care and how their team is working to close them.

This conversation explores what prevention looks like in practice — not just in policy — and how culturally grounded, community-led approaches shape long-term change. We also talk about how listeners can support the work of this project, especially ahead of International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM on February 6th.

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