By: Usman Bashir Abubakar, African Union Saleema Youth Ambassador

The pursuit of gender equality and the protection of the fundamental rights of women and girls remain central to the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Among the most pressing challenges to this vision is the persistence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a harmful practice that not only violates the physical integrity of millions of girls but also stifles the developmental potential of our continent. As the African Union Saleema Ambassador, I am acutely aware that while we have made significant strides in policy development, the bridge between continental commitment and community-level protection remains under construction.

Today, I am honored to launch “The Saleema Pledge: Accountability for Africa’s Daughters,” a 30-day digital media campaign designed to popularize and operationalize the African Union FGM Accountability Framework. This initiative is not merely a call for awareness; it is a demand for measurable progress and a celebration of the “Saleema” identity—the inherent right of every girl to be born and remain whole, healthy, and intact.

The Necessity of Accountability

For decades, African nations have signed treaties and protocols, most notably the Maputo Protocol, pledging to eliminate harmful practices. However, the lack of standardized monitoring and reporting mechanisms has often led to a gap in implementation. The AU FGM Accountability Framework was developed to address this specific deficit. It provides a structured, data-driven mechanism that allows Member States to track their progress, identify vulnerabilities, and account for their commitments to the girls of Africa.

“Accountability is not an act of finger-pointing; it is an act of stewardship. It is the process by which we ensure that the promises made in the halls of power are felt in the lives of the girls in our most remote communities.”

The Four Pillars of the Framework

The campaign will build on the four foundational pillars of the AU Accountability Framework, each essential for the total elimination of FGM by 2030.

Pillar	Focus Area	Objective
Legislation	Legal Prohibition & Enforcement	Strengthening national laws and ensuring the prosecution of perpetrators and facilitators.
Service Provision	Holistic Support Systems	Providing medical, psychological, and legal support for survivors of FGM.
Community Action	Social Norm Transformation	Engaging traditional and religious leaders to shift cultural narratives toward the Saleema vision.
Data & Reporting	Evidence-Based Monitoring	Utilizing standardized templates to collect accurate data and report progress to AU human rights organs.

The 30-Day Journey

Over the next 30 days, I will lead a continental dialogue on how we can better utilize this framework. We will explore technical reporting requirements, share success stories from Member States that are leading the way, and amplify the voices of youth activists who are redefining what it means to be a modern African woman.

The goal of The Saleema Pledge is to move beyond the rhetoric of “ending FGM” and toward the reality of “accounting for its elimination.” We are calling on governments to submit their reports, on civil society to monitor progress, and on the media to investigate the gaps that still exist.

A Call to Continental Solidarity

The elimination of FGM is not a task for a single office or a single nation; it is a collective African priority. The Saleema Pledge is an invitation to every stakeholder—from policy makers in Addis Ababa to community leaders in rural districts—to join me in this mission.

When we account for every girl, we secure the future of Africa. I invite you to follow this campaign, share our materials, and most importantly, take the pledge to hold our systems accountable. Together, we can ensure that every daughter of Africa grows up Saleema—whole, intact, and empowered to lead.