Leyla Hussein was stunned when only one person she approached refused to sign a petition supporting female genital mutilation according to a report.
According to the London Evening Standard, Hussein approached shoppers with the petition, telling them she wanted to protect her "culture, traditions and rights."
In half an hour she had 19 signatures and only one person who had refused to sign.
“I kept using the word ‘it’s just mutilation’. They were like ‘yes, you are right’. How can anyone think that’s okay?” The standard quoted her as saying.
Hussein was a victim of female genital mutilation herself at the age of seven in Somalia, and is the co-founder of Daughters of Eve, an organisation that opposes the practice.
According to the World Health Organisation "female genital mutilation have been documented in 28 countries in Africa and in a few countries in Asia and the Middle East".
"The WHO estimates that between 100 and 140 million girls and women worldwide have been subjected to one of the first three types of female genital mutilation."
"Estimates based on the most recent prevalence data indicate that 91,5 million girls and women above 9 years old in Africa are currently living with the consequences of female genital mutilation."
"There are an estimated 3 million girls in Africa at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation every year," the WHO reported.
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