Female genital mutilation (FGM) remains very common in East African communities and, despite being a form of gender-based violence, it is still an ongoing cultural practice with millions of girls in Africa and around the world being put at risk every year.

Kenya has faced an uphill battle in trying to bring this form of violence to an end. While the government has implemented policies to prevent FGM, and ultimately eradicate it from the country, these laws have faced mass criticism from supporters of cutting, some even showing outward defiance against the law.

The country has an ambitious goal to end FGM by 2022 and, as this deadline fast approaches, citizens and activists have taken it upon themselves to help stop the violence and to stand up for girls’ bodily autonomy.

One such citizen is 21-year-old Stacy Owino, a Kenyan computer science and mathematics student who co-developed an app that aims to save girls from experiencing FGM by putting them in touch with authorities and life-saving services near them.

Owino developed the app when she was still in high school, as part of Kenya’s annual Technovation Challenge in 2018, alongside four other girls, Cynthia Otieno, Purity Achieng, Macrine Atieno, and Ivy Akinyi. Together they dubbed themselves “The Restorers,” and are led by Dorcas Owino, the director at Kenyan innovation hub, Lakehub Foundation.

Not only is Owino a young powerhouse in STEM working to protect women and girls, but she is also a member of the Youth Sounding Board for the European Commission, representing Africa and helping to guide the commission’s perspectives on future decisions.

Global Citizen spoke to Owino ahead of the Young Activists Summit, where she was honoured as part of a small group of young activists around the world for her work standing up against FGM.

Read the full article about fighting FGM with tech by Khanyi Mlaba at Global Citizen.