Nimco Ali Explained

Nimko Ali
Birth Place:Somali Democratic Republic
Co-founder and CEO of The Five Foundation
Alma Mater:University of Bristol[1]

Nimko Ali (Somali: Nimco Cali), alternatively spelled Nimco (born), is a British social activist of Somali heritage. She is the co-founder and CEO of The Five Foundation, a global partnership to end female genital mutilation (FGM).

Ali underwent female genital mutilation in Djibouti. She released her first book in 2019 that contains 42 stories from 152 interviews that Ali collected from women across 14 countries. Later that year she co-founded The Five Foundation with Brendan Wynne, which is her current full time role.

In 2020, she also co-founded the Ginsburg Women's Health Board with Mika Simmons. She contested a seat in the 2017 general election under the Women's Equality Party. In 2019, she supported Boris Johnson, endorsed the Conservative Party and campaigned for Conservative candidates. She was appointed as Independent Government Adviser for Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls in 2020, a post which ended in 2022.

Early life

Ali was born 1983 in Somalia. When she was four, her family moved to Manchester in England later moving to Cardiff, Wales.[2] [3] She has four brothers, one of whom, Mohamed, is chair of the Somali Conservatives.[4] Aged seven, Ali underwent female genital mutilation (FGM) in Djibouti while on holiday with her family.[2] [5] She later suffered health complications and had to undergo reconstructive surgery.[6] The experience, and meeting other females who had been incised later inspired her to assist at-risk girls and to call for the practice's eradication.[2] [3] Ali studied law at Bristol University.[7]

Career

In 2010, Ali along with psychotherapist Leyla Hussein founded Daughters of Eve.[2] [8] The non-profit organisation was established to help young women and girls, with a focus on providing education and raising awareness on female genital mutilation.[9]

Ali co-founded The Five Foundation, "The Global Partnership to End FGM", with Brendan Wynne in 2019. This non-profit organisation works to raise the issue of FGM on the international agenda and leverage funding for grassroots organisations working to end FGM. Ali previously worked as a civil servant. She also served as a women's rights activist and an independent training consultant for a number of years.[10] [11] Additionally, Ali served as a Network Coordinator for The Girl Generation. She has also written extensively on national gender rights.[10]

Her book What We’re Told Not to Talk About (But We're Going to Anyway): Women's Voices from East London to Ethiopia was published by Penguin Books in June 2019. It includes stories of women who are sharing experiences they have always been told should be "secret and shameful" as well as Ali's own story of living with FGM.[12] The book contained 42 stories from 152 interviews that Ali had undertaken with women across 14 countries.[13] In The Times, Hannah Betts described the book as "a compelling cross-cultural account of vaginal life".[14] Isobel Shirlaw said in i that it was an important book and that "The chorus of women's voices which provide a multi-dimensional, global view of these hidden issues is powerful".[15] The Guardian review by Arifa Akbar praised the book as "rich collection of intimate and uncensored stories" and wrote that Ali "delivers the physicality of the women's experiences with all the leaking, faecal, bloody mess of the body laid bare", although noting that "deeper reflection is lacking" and criticising the omission of coverage of anyone that was not heterosexual and cisgender.[16] Ali told an interviewer from The Guardian that:

In 2020, Ali and Mika Simmons co-founded the Ginsburg Women's Health Board, to campaign for a more effective and equitable healthcare system for women from the National Health Service. The organisation is named after Ruth Bader Ginsburg.[17] [18]

Home Secretary of the United Kingdom Priti Patel appointed Ali as an Independent Government Adviser for Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, in October 2020.[19] Ali was a direct appointment to the role, which, as is common with such roles, was not advertised. The role involves the formulation of a strategy to reduce violence against women and girls, with recommendations expected to be produced in 2021.[20] The report, with forewords from Priti Patel and from Ali, was published in July 2021.[21] [22] Ali expressed her hope that the strategy would be a foundation to improve safety for women and girls through education and legislation, but that "whole system" change would be required to reduce violence.[23] In December 2022 Ali said she does not want to serve under new Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman and was on a "completely different planet" to Braverman on women's rights and ethnic minorities.[24]

Political activity

At the 2017 general election, Ali contested the seat of Hornsey and Wood Green in North London for the Women's Equality Party.[25] Ali polled 551 votes (0.9% of the total),[26] finishing in 5th place out of the 8 candidates that stood and losing her election deposit.[27] During the campaign, Ali's campaign workers received dozens of abusive and aggressive telephone calls, and Ali received a death threat.

Ali is godmother to the son of Boris Johnson, the former prime minister of the United Kingdom, and his wife Carrie Johnson.[28] She endorsed Johnson, who she has referred to as a "real feminist", in the 2019 Conservative leadership election.[29] During the 2019 general election, Ali campaigned on behalf of the Conservatives.[30]

Honours and awards

In 2014, Ali received the community/charity award, jointly with Leyla Hussein, at the 2014 Red Magazine Woman of the Year awards for their work with Daughters of Eve.[9] They also placed sixth in the Woman's Hour Power List 2014.[8] Ali was named one of BBC's 100 Women during 2018.[31]

On International Women's Day 2019 it was announced that the 2019 Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy’s International Women's Rights Award would be awarded to Ali for her "approach to ending FGM by offering holistic support to survivors of the practice".[32] Ali was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to tackling female genital mutilation and gender inequality.[33]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nimco Ali interview on FGM, escaping civil war & politics Unfiltered with James O'Brien #15 . youtube.com . JOE . 23 January 2018 . video . en . 51'10" . 20 October 2022.
  2. News: Onyanga-Omara. Jane. Men 'must help stop female genital mutilation'. 2 October 2014. BBC. 29 July 2011. 17 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141017125958/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-bristol-14216808. live.
  3. News: Poon. Linda. Fighting Genital Cutting Of British Girls: A Survivor Speaks Out. 2 October 2014. NPR. 5 August 2014. 1 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141001134151/http://www.npr.org/blogs/goatsandsoda/2014/08/05/336040358/fighting-genital-cutting-of-british-girls-a-survivor-speaks-out. live.
  4. News: Collier. Hatty. Bizarre row erupts in north London election race as Women's Equality candidate labelled 'anti-feminist'. 20 February 2018. Evening Standard. 16 May 2017. 20 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180220214121/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/bizarre-row-erupts-in-north-london-election-race-as-womens-equality-candidate-labelled-antifeminist-a3540086.html. live.
  5. News: Bentham. Martin. Met will prosecute parents who send their girls abroad to be 'cut'. 2 October 2014. Evening Standard. 18 February 2013. 6 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006132648/http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/met-will-prosecute-parents-who-send-their-girls-abroad-to-be-cut-8499328.html. live.
  6. News: Banneman. Lucy. 'It's child abuse that has gone mainstream'. 2 October 2014. The Times. 13 January 2014. 6 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006125149/http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/crime/article3991120.ece. live.
  7. News: Sturges . Fiona . Nimko Ali: 'Orgasms and sexual pleasure are a human right. I guard these things with my life' . The Guardian . 21 June 2019 . 19 October 2022.
  8. British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies. Towards ending female genital mutilation. CBT Today. May 2014. 42. 2. 16–17. 3 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006085307/http://www.babcp.com/files/CBT-Today/cbt-today-may-2014.pdf. 6 October 2014. dead.
  9. News: Powell. Emma. Lauren Laverne, Sadie Frost and Olivia Inge attend the Red Woman of the Year Awards. 2 October 2014. Evening Standard. 4 September 2014. 6 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141006074056/http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/lauren-laverne-sadie-frost-and-olivia-inge-attend-the-red-woman-of-the-year-awards-9710635.html. live.
  10. News: 6. Leyla Hussein and Nimco Ali. 2 October 2014. Woman's Hour. BBC. 2013. 25 December 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181225222244/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/1H3mz4n7Yz2myTYzphHBGZK/6-leyla-hussein-and-nimco-ali. live.
  11. News: Kelly-Linden . Jordan . Global health: Why the key to ending FGM lies in the hands of women . 8 February 2020 . The Telegraph . 26 August 2021 . 16 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210416031625/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/women-and-girls/will-take-communities-make-change-want-see-key-ending-fgm-lies/ . live .
  12. https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/129534/nimko-ali.html Nimko Ali
  13. News: Sturges . Fiona . Nimko Ali: 'Orgasms and sexual pleasure are a human right. I guard these things with my life' . The Guardian . 21 June 2019 . 10 August 2021 . 26 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201126075213/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/jun/21/nimko-ali-interview-talking-isnt-shameful-fgm . live .
  14. News: Hanah . Betts . The new period drama? I don't feel part of it: From hormone-tracking apps to subscription boxes, menstruation merchandise is everywhere. Who is really profiting? . The Times . 8 August 2019 . 2.
  15. Web site: Shirlaw . Isobel . What We're Told Not to Talk About (But We're Going to Anyway), by Nimko Ali: a devastating chorus of women . inews.co.uk . 12 July 2019 . 10 August 2021 . 12 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210512220703/https://inews.co.uk/culture/what-were-told-not-to-talk-about-but-were-going-to-anyway-nimko-ali-review-312885 . live .
  16. News: Arifa . Akbar . What We're Told Not to Talk About by Nimko Ali review – the body laid bare . The Guardian . 10 July 2019 . 27 August 2021 . 26 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210826232638/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/jul/10/what-we-re-told-not-to-talk-about-nimko-ali-review . live .
  17. Web site: Harvey-Jenner . Catriona . A new health board aims to eradicate the gender health gap . Cosmoplitan . 20 May 2021 . 26 August 2021 . 23 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210523223941/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/health/a36487141/ginsburg-womens-health-board/ . live .
  18. Web site: About us . Ginsburg Women's Health Board . 26 August 2021 . 26 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210826231437/http://www.ginsburgwomenshealthboard.org/about-us/ . live .
  19. Web site: FGM campaigner Nimco Ali appointed as Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls adviser. GOV.UK. 10 October 2020. 10 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201010080848/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fgm-campaigner-nimco-ali-appointed-as-tackling-violence-against-women-and-girls-adviser. live.
  20. News: Blackall . Mollie . Carrie Symonds' friend Nimco Ali given Home Office role without it being advertised . The Guardian . 5 December 2020 . 10 August 2021 . 24 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210724162651/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/dec/05/carrie-symonds-close-friend-nimco-ali-given-350-a-day-government-role . live .
  21. Web site: Tackling violence against women and girls strategy launched . gov.uk . 21 July 2021 . 10 August 2021 . 10 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210810094126/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tackling-violence-against-women-and-girls-strategy-launched . live .
  22. Web site: Tackling violence against women and girls strategy . gov.uk . 26 July 2021 . 10 August 2021 . 10 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210810094126/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-violence-against-women-and-girls-strategy/tackling-violence-against-women-and-girls-strategy . live .
  23. News: Topping . Alexandra . Public street harassment could be made illegal in England and Wales . The Guardian . 20 July 2021 . 10 August 2021 . 10 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210810064004/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/20/public-street-harassment-to-be-made-in-england-and-wales . live .
  24. News: Nimco Ali: Adviser to step down to avoid serving under Braverman . 10 December 2022 . BBC News . 9 December 2022.
  25. Web site: Women's Equality party candidate receives death threat signed 'Jo Cox'. Alexandra. Topping. 7 June 2017. The Guardian. 5 June 2018. 29 May 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180529005921/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/07/womens-equality-party-nimco-ali-receives-death-threat-general-election. live.
  26. Web site: Women's Equality Party defeat follows weeks of horrific abuse. Saul. Heather. 9 June 2017. i. 5 June 2018. 5 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180705151127/https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/womens-equality-party-defeat-general-election-follows-weeks-abuse-directed-candidates/. live.
  27. Web site: General Election 2017 - Haringey votes. voting.haringey.gov.uk. 5 July 2018. 5 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180705153536/https://voting.haringey.gov.uk/general-election-2017-results/. live.
  28. News: Sheridan . Danielle . Number 10 deny Christmas visit by godmother of Boris Johnson's baby broke lockdown rules . 17 December 2022 . Daily Telegraph . 18 October 2021.
  29. News: Ali . Nimco . Why am I backing Boris? Because he's a real feminist . 13 June 2019 . The Telegraph . 7 June 2019 . 10 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190610102145/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/06/07/backing-boris-real-feminist/ . live .
  30. News: Election blind dates: Owen Jones and Nimco Ali . 10 December 2019 . BBC News . 4 January 2022 . 2 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220102154320/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/election-2019-50721273 . live .
  31. News: BBC 100 Women 2018: Who is on the list?. 19 November 2018. BBC News. 19 November 2018. en-GB. 29 October 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191029040102/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-46225037. live.
  32. Web site: 25 NGOs Announce 2019 Anti-FGM Champion As International Women's Rights Award Winner. 8 March 2019. Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. en-US. 9 March 2019. 1 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190401083133/https://www.genevasummit.org/25-ngos-announce-2019-anti-fgm-champion-as-international-womens-rights-award-winner/. live.
  33. Lizo Mzimba (reporter) and Nimco Ali (OBE recipient) . 8 June 2019 . 8 June 2019 . News item: Queen's Birthday Honours . Television . BBC News 1.05 pm . BBC One.

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