Dr. Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, German Green Party representative to the European Parliament and co-founder of FORWARD for Women (1998) in Frankfurt am Main (opposing FGM), together with Dr. Tobe Levin von Gleichen (UnCUT/VOICES Press) produced an 84-page DIN-A-4 brochure — I call it a pre-book — tracing the history of movements to end FGM active in Germany, many with significant input from Pierrette and me. One hundred copies of the volume, designed by prize-winning photographer Britta Radike, were presented in September to the President of Ethiopia during a meeting with Pierrette’s European Parliamentary delegation.
At the European Parliament on February 6, 2023, as guest speakers invited by Dr. Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, MEP (German Green Party) for a meeting to encourage, learn from, and honor Men in the anti-FGM Movement. In the photo you find Dr. Tobe Levin von Gleichen to Pierrette’s right and former managing director of FORWARD for Women, Heidi Bezzaz, a Green party politician, Kreis Bergstrasse, Hessia, to her left.
Below please find Pierrette’s invitation on her Facebook page.
Join us on Monday, on the occasion of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation to follow the event I will host
“Men Standing Up For #GenderEquality”
(from 09:45 to 12:10 at the European Parliament, room 5E1)
An event organized under the patronage of the Commissioner for Equality Mrs. Helena Dalli.
Engaging men and boys on gender equality and women’s #empowerment remains a necessity.
Alongside Lessan e.V. (Germany), Femmes Entraide et Autonomie – FEA (France), and HIMILO (Holland), three partner organisations that offer counselling on gender-based violence, I am hosting this event to reflect on how men can counter gender violence, female genital mutilation and early forced marriage. (This blog has often featured men dedicated to these abuses of women and girls. See for instance earlier posts thanking Dr. Pierre Foldes, Dr. Dan mon O’Dey, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and others.)
Guest speakers in addition to Dr. Tobe Levin von Gleichen and Heidi Bezzaz included
*European Commissioner for Equality, Mrs. Helena Dalli (keynote)
*MEP Dr. Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana
*MEP Mrs. Samira Rafaela
*MEP Mr. Max Orville
*Dr. Gwladys Awo
*Mrs. Isabela Atanasiu (EC)
*Alderwoman of Brussels, Mrs. Lydia Mutyebele Ngoi
I am looking forward to welcoming you!
UnCut/Voices Press 
Gender equality would mean that sexual mutilation would be fought without distinction of sex.