{"id":5742,"date":"2022-02-07T16:50:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-07T12:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=5742"},"modified":"2022-02-11T16:56:46","modified_gmt":"2022-02-11T12:56:46","slug":"merck-foundation-ceo-advocates-for-education-to-end-female-genital-mutilation-in-africa-and-beyond","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rasha-kelej.com\/?p=5742","title":{"rendered":"Merck Foundation CEO Advocates for Education to End Female Genital Mutilation in Africa and Beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]\/ Monrovia [Liberia], February 7 (ANI\/BusinessWire India): Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2022 as a part of the Merck Foundation \u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d and \u201cEducating Linda\u201d program. <\/p>

Senator, Dr Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President of Merck Foundation \u201cMore Than a Mother\u201d campaign emphasized on the observance of this important day, \u201cFemale Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a deep-rooted social norm for girls and women in many cultures in Africa, Middle East, Asia and Latin America, it denies them their dignity, endangers their health and causes needless pain and suffering and many serious complications that they are forced to live with the rest of their lives such as; Infertility, infections, stillborn babies and in some cases, can also lead to death.\u201d<\/p>

The UN estimates that 200 million women and girls around the world have undergone FGM, with 80% of cases occurring in Africa alone. Most of the girls who have undergone this practice are below 15 years of age.<\/p>

\u201cTaking into account this dire situation, I strongly believe that raising awareness, advocacy building, and girl education are the keys to eradicating this practice. It is all about improving access to information, health and change of mindset to have zero tolerance to FGM. FGM has no health benefit, in fact, it only harms women and girls physically and psychologically,\u201d Senator, Rasha Kelej emphasized.<\/p>

According to the UN data, the world over 1 in 4 women have undergone female genital mutilation, this is close to 52 million women world over. Merck Foundation supports the UN\u2019s cause of putting an end to the practice of FGM by 2030.<\/p>

\u201cI truly believe that Education is Power and educating girls is empowering them to make their own decisions in the future when they become strong women. It will enable them to access to information, health and economic opportunities, and stand up for their rights for themselves and their families thus, helping them to save their girls and preventing issues like Female Genital Mutilation even if it is too late for them.<\/p>

This International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation we, at Merck Foundation would like to encourage everyone to work closely together to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation from our communities. We have to work together to create a culture shift to stop this meaningless practice,\u201d emphasized Senator, Dr Rasha Kelej.<\/p>

Merck Foundation aims to raise awareness about violence against females, empower girls and women through education to bring in a culture shift through media, art, and fashion.<\/p>

\u201cMerck Foundation is continuing its efforts of raising awareness against sensitive issues such as FGM through Our African community of Art and Fashion with Purpose. We will soon be launching \u2018Our Africa\u2019, a television program that is set to be the voice of the voiceless and break the silence about many social and health issues in Africa and create a culture shift together. I strongly believe that fashion and art should have a purpose beyond entertainment. They can contribute to sensitizing our communities about different social and health issues such as ending FGM, ending child marriage, stopping GBV, breaking Infertility stigma, supporting girl education, and more,\u201d added Senator, Dr Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation.<\/p>

As a part of the Merck Foundation Educating Linda program, Merck Foundation helps young girls who are unprivileged but brilliant to continue their education. The spirit of the project is to provide an opportunity for such girls to pursue their dreams and reach their potential through access to education.<\/p>