By: Audrey Raymonda John
Amid renewed public debate in Sierra Leone surrounding Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), one of the country’s most prominent anti-FGM campaigners has received international recognition for her decades of leadership, courage, and commitment to protecting women and girls.
At the Global Comfort No2FGM Awards UK 2026, held at Bush House, Aldwych, in central London, Hon. Mrs. Rugiatu Neneh Turay-Koroma, Founder and Executive Director of the Amazonian Initiative Movement (AIM-SL) and former Deputy Minister of Gender, was honoured with the distinguished Efua Dorkenoo Award. The award is one of the highest international recognitions for individuals advancing the global movement to end Female Genital Mutilation.
The award is named after the late Efua Dorkenoo, widely regarded as the “Mother of the African Anti-FGM Movement,” whose pioneering advocacy brought global attention to FGM as a human rights issue.
Mrs. Turay-Koroma was honoured alongside other internationally recognised activists, including Khady Koita and Joy Clarke, whose collective work has contributed to protecting and transforming the lives of women and girls worldwide.
For more than three decades, Rugiatu Neneh Turay-Koroma has been at the forefront of efforts to end FGM and other harmful traditional practices in Sierra Leone. Her advocacy has often come at significant personal risk, requiring resilience, courage, and determination in the face of criticism, threats, and resistance.
As a survivor herself, she has transformed her lived experience into a powerful force for social change, amplifying the voices of women and girls whose experiences are often unheard.
In her acceptance remarks, Mrs. Turay-Koroma dedicated the award to survivors of FGM, her late father, AIM-SL staff, community champions, progressive Sowies, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, donor partners, political allies, and all who have supported the movement.
Through AIM-SL, she has worked extensively to support survivors, engage communities, promote dialogue with traditional leaders, encourage alternative livelihoods for Sowies, and advocate for the protection of women and girls at both national and international levels.
In one of the most emotional moments of the ceremony, she emphasized that the recognition belonged not to an individual, but to a broader movement.
“This award belongs to everyone who has refused to remain silent and has chosen courage over fear in the fight to protect women and girls.”
Her remarks were met with applause from fellow activists, supporters, and international guests gathered to celebrate women leading change across communities and countries.
The award comes at a critical moment in Sierra Leone’s national conversation on FGM. In recent weeks, discussions surrounding the practice have intensified, highlighting divisions between advocates for the protection of women and girls and those seeking to preserve traditional practices.
For many observers, the international recognition of Mrs. Turay-Koroma underscores that speaking out against harmful practices is not an act of cultural rejection, but rather one of courage, leadership, and human rights advocacy.
At a time when anti-FGM activists continue to face criticism and resistance, the honour reinforces the legitimacy and importance of their work.
For AIM-SL, the award represents more than personal recognition. It is an affirmation of years of grassroots work dedicated to transforming lives and protecting future generations.
The organization stated that the honour strengthens its commitment to supporting survivors, empowering women, promoting transformational leadership, and advocating for the complete eradication of FGM and other harmful practices affecting women and girls.
The recognition also places Sierra Leone prominently on the global stage as a country producing courageous women leaders committed to advancing human rights and social justice.
As the ceremony concluded, the award was seen not only as a celebration of past achievements but also as a call to continue the work ahead.
For thousands of girls whose lives have been protected, for survivors who have found their voices, and for communities choosing a different path, the honour bestowed on Rugiatu Neneh Turay-Koroma extends beyond one individual.
From Sierra Leone to the global stage, her message remains clear: Every girl deserves protection, every woman deserves dignity, and no tradition should override human rights.