Changing Narratives Podcast

Recorded live at Women Deliver 2026, this episode of Changing Narratives brings together reflections from advocates, organizers and movement leaders working across different regions and sectors.   This episode explores the power of collective action, the importance of solidarity and what it means to strengthen alliances in a time of global disruption. From grassroots advocacy to global policy spac...

How do we engage a generation that has grown up online in conversations about FGM/C? In this special collaboration with the  End FGM European Network , Patricia Mars is joined by  Bassmala Morkaz to discuss The Purple Chair, a youth-led series created to break the silence around FGM and other issues affecting women and girls. Together, they explore how digital media can help make difficult convers...

In this episode of Changing Narratives, host Patricia Mars is joined by Leandra Becerra, Legal Advisor and Advocacy Programmes for Latin America and the Caribbean with Equality Now , representing the Americas Alliance. Together, they explore how FGM/C is understood and addressed in Colombia and across the Americas and why these perspectives are critical to reshaping the global narrative. This conv...

In this episode of Changing Narratives, we shine a spotlight on the DMV Coalition and a historic milestone: the passage of Washington, D.C.'s law to end FGM/C a year ago.  Joining Patricia Mars are Angela Peabody, Founder and President of Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation, and Dr. Karen McDonnell, Associate Professor at GW Milken Institute School of Public Health. Together, they share how the DMV...

In this special episode of Changing Narratives, host Patricia Mars brings listeners inside the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), capturing reflections from advocates, leaders and participants on the ground. Through a series of short conversations, this episode explores what's standing out, what challenges remain and what it will take to move from dialogue to action. Leave a review of the po...

In this episode of Changing Narratives , host Patricia Mars sits down with Sean Callaghan , a researcher whose work is shedding new light on female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in the United States. Together, they unpack what the data tells us — and what it doesn't. From research challenges and systemic gaps to the balance between statistics and lived experiences, this conversation dives dee...

In this episode of Changing Narratives, host Patricia Mars sits down with Naimah Hassan to unpack a new report produced through a collaboration between AWRA and Vavengers . Naimah shares the inspiration behind the report, the process of collaboration and the stories and perspectives that stayed with her throughout the project. The conversation also digs into how the report contributes to global di...

In this episode of Changing Narratives, host Patricia Mars sits down with two leading voices working at the intersection of medicine, policy, and human rights. Dr. Marci Bowers —the only surgeon in the U.S. trained in both gender-affirming surgery and functional clitoral restoration for FGM/C survivors—joins Sinéad , a policy expert working to protect transgender rights and survivor-centered FGM/C...

In the season 2 premiere of Changing Narratives, host Patricia Mars sits down with Dr. Crista Johnson-Agbakwu and Olivia Harris from the Hope MA Project (Holistic Organized Partnerships to End FGM/C in MA), a statewide initiative strengthening prevention, care and coordinated action around female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Massachusetts. Together, they discuss how the momentum from the...

As we close out an incredible first year of Changing Narratives , we're taking a moment to pause, reflect, and celebrate. In this special year-end episode, host Patricia Mars is joined by her colleagues from The U.S. End FGM/C Network — Caitlin LeMay, Kaitlin Mitchell and Isatou Jeng — for an honest and inspiring conversation about the year that was. Together, they look back at the stories that mo...

What does it mean to say that 1 girl dies every 12 minutes from female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C)? In this gripping episode of Changing Narratives , host Patricia Mars speaks with Professor Heather Flowe—one of the researchers behind a landmark study estimating that more than 44,000 girls and young women die each year from FGM/C . They unpack the methodological and ethical complexities of...

FGM/C is too often seen as only an African issue — but across Asia, millions of girls are at risk every year. In this bold conversation, host Patricia Mars is joined by Ika Agustina from Kalyanamitra, a feminist organization based in Jakarta, Indonesia. Ika shares the powerful grassroots work happening to end FGM/C in Asia — from community-led change to groundbreaking research and fierce advocacy...

"Change doesn't happen to communities—it happens with them." In this inspiring episode of Changing Narratives , host Patricia Mars is joined by Hibo Jama and Barwaqo Aden of Nisaa African Family Services , a grassroots powerhouse supporting African refugee and immigrant communities in Iowa. With deep ties to the communities they serve, Hibo and Barwaqo open up about the emotional and cultural chal...

In this special episode of Changing Narratives , we revisit the energy, urgency and solidarity at the Annual Walk to End FGM, hosted by the Global Woman P.E.A.C.E. Foundation in Washington, D.C. Led by founder and activist Angela Peabody , the walk brings together survivors, advocates and allies to raise awareness, honor resilience and call for the elimination of FGM/C. You'll hear from changemake...

What does it look like when a survivor leads a global youth movement to end female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C)? In this bold and moving episode of Changing Narratives , we sit down with Dr. Costly Abosede Aderibigbe—medical doctor, FGM/C survivor and Executive Secretary of the Global Youth Consortium Against FGM. Costly's work spans over 50 countries, uniting young people to demand a future...

In this episode of  Changing Narratives , host Patricia Mars is joined by Mahnaz M. Harrison, founder of LastMile4D, to discuss the groundbreaking work being done to end FGM/C in Kenya. Mahnaz shares her journey into women's health and rights, the unique challenges of working in remote communities, and how LastMile4D is using innovative technology and local partnerships to drive meaningful change....

In this episode of Changing Narratives , host Patricia Mars sits down with Athia Carrim , a leader in interfaith dialogue and a key figure in The FGM Taskforce of Greater Los Angeles Area. Together, they explore the intersection of faith, advocacy, and community-driven efforts in the movement to end FGM/C. Athia shares her journey of balancing cultural respect with advocacy, discusses how transfor...

In this episode of  Changing Narratives , we explore the unsettling yet vital issue of the " Husband Stitch "—a practice often dismissed as a myth but deeply harmful and invasive. Join Hunter Kessous, Medical Student at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and Dr. Raveen Syan, Urologist who specializes in pelvic floor disorders at the Desai Sethi Urology Institute, as they unpack thi...

In this episode of Changing Narratives , we explore how Washington State is addressing FGM/C head-on, turning local advocacy into meaningful policy change. Join Absa Samba, a leader behind the passing of Washington's anti-FGM/C law, and Carolyn House-Higgins, the Gender-Based Violence Prevention Program Manager at the Department of Health, as they discuss the intersection of policy, community acti...

Episode 1: Welcome to "Changing Narratives" In this debut episode of Changing Narratives , host Patricia Mars sits down with the Director of The U.S. End FGM/C Network, Caitlin LeMay, to share the inspiration behind the podcast, what listeners can expect from this transformative series and the goals driving this project. Together, they discuss the importance of amplifying survivor voices, fosterin...

In this episode of Changing Narratives , host Patricia Mars sits down with Jo Keogh, a founding member of The Connecticut Coalition to End FGM/C, to discuss her critical role in advocating to end female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Connecticut. Jo shares her personal journey into the advocacy space, including the catalyst behind the formation of the Coalition and why it was essential to c...