Reviewed and updated 22 August 2026.
By Aneeta Prem MBE
Female genital mutilation cannot be ended by speaking only to girls and women. Boys and young men also shape family expectations, peer attitudes and the messages that future generations carry forward.
That is the purpose of Freedom Charity’s Not in My Name campaign: not to blame boys for abuse they did not commit, but to give them a clear role in rejecting it.
What “Not in My Name” means
The message is deliberately simple. FGM, forced marriage and coercion should never be justified by saying that men expect it, families require it or community reputation depends on it.
When a boy or young man says “not in my name”, he is rejecting the idea that violence against a girl is necessary for respectability, marriage or acceptance.
That matters because prevention is stronger when young people are treated as participants in change rather than passive audiences.
Why boys belong in safeguarding education
FGM is a violation of girls’ and women’s rights. UNICEF estimates that more than 230 million girls and women alive today have undergone the practice.
Ending it requires law, survivor-informed support, professional safeguarding and long-term change in social expectations. Boys and men are part of that change. They can challenge harmful assumptions in friendship groups, families and future relationships.
Good education does not shame communities or tell boys that they are inherently responsible for abuse. It teaches consent, bodily autonomy, equality and how to respond when somebody may be at risk.
How the campaign connects with schools
Freedom Charity has used books, school discussions and safeguarding resources to make difficult subjects understandable to young people. But It’s Not Fair and Cut Flowers are novels; the accompanying lesson resources developed for schools received the PSHE Association Quality Mark.
That distinction matters because quality-assured teaching resources support the lesson, while the stories help pupils engage with the human reality behind the safeguarding issue.
What happens when a young person discloses risk
A campaign message is never a substitute for safeguarding procedure. If a pupil raises a concern about FGM, forced marriage or family control, adults should listen, record the concern and follow current guidance. They should not confront family members or attempt mediation where doing so may increase danger.
“Not in My Name” is most useful when it changes behaviour: boys reject harmful expectations, adults recognise risk and children know that safe help exists.
Sources and further reading
- Freedom Charity: Not in My Name campaign
- UNICEF: female genital mutilation data
- GOV.UK: multi-agency statutory guidance on FGM
