Origins & Early Life

Efua Dorkenoo, OBE (6 September 1949 – 18 October 2014), affectionately known as "Mama Efua", was a Ghanaian-British campaigner against female genital mutilation (FGM) who pioneered the global movement to end the practice and worked internationally for more than 30 years to see the campaign "move from a problem lacking in recognition to a key issue for governments around the world." She was born on 6 September 1949 in Cape Coast, Gold Coast (now Ghana), where she attended Wesley Girls' High School. She moved to London at the age of 19 to study nursing, and eventually earned a master's degree at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and a research fellowship at City University London. She was a staff nurse at various hospitals, including the Royal Free, and it was while training as a midwife that she became aware of the impact of FGM on women's lives. She joined the Minority Rights Group and travelled to various parts of Africa to gather information for what was one of the earliest reports published on FGM in 1980.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 1983 she founded the Foundation for Women's Health, Research and Development (FORWARD), a British NGO that supports...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• 1949 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1949
• September 6 (09-06) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on September 6
• 2014 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2014
• October 18 (10-18) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on October 18