A human rights organisation based in the UK has scheduled a fundraising event in support of a campaign that aims to protect a 16-year-old from deportation – a relocation that would put her at risk of being forced to undergo female genital mutilation (FGM). Refugee and Asylum Seeker Participatory Action Research (RAPAR) hopes that the event, which takes place on Sunday (August 18th), will highlight the dangers of Olayinka Olatunde not being allowed to remain in the UK.
The teenager, her mother and two brothers have lived in Rochdale, Greater Manchester since fleeing Nigeria in 2010. However, a recent asylum claim was refused.
They left for the UK after Olayinka’s sister died at the age of eight, having succumbed to complications that arose after she forcibly underwent FGM. A year beforehand, Olayinka had been beaten by male family members after resisting their efforts to have her undergo the practice. She was hospitalised with permanent damage to her hands.
Nigerian police failed to act, telling the family that they respected “traditional and family acts”, and RAPAR fears that Olayinka will suffer FGM if she is made to return to her native country.
Source: http://www.figo.org/news/rapar-plans-fundraiser-save-16-year-old-fgm-0011456
