Cambridge Cancels Fatima Bio After FGM Fury
University of Cambridge, The Five Foundation, Female Genital Mutilation - FGM, Sierra Leone Theo Edwards University of Cambridge, The Five Foundation, Female Genital Mutilation - FGM, Sierra Leone Theo Edwards

Cambridge Cancels Fatima Bio After FGM Fury

FGM is a recognised violation of the human rights of women and girls. It involves the cutting of healthy genital tissue and can result in severe pain, lifelong physical complications, psychological trauma, childbirth complications, and, in some cases, death. More than 230 million women and girls worldwide are living with the consequences of FGM, while research suggests that tens of thousands of girls may die each year from its direct and indirect effects. Sierra Leone remains one of the countries with the highest prevalence of FGM in the world—the double-talk.

The decision to provide a prestigious platform to a political figure who appears unwilling to oppose FGM unequivocally sends a deeply troubling message.

#FGM | #FatimaBio

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U.S. Visa ‘Hub’ Policy Will Reshape Access Across Africa—and Not Quietly
Sierra Leone, US Visa Policy, Africa Travel Theo Edwards Sierra Leone, US Visa Policy, Africa Travel Theo Edwards

U.S. Visa ‘Hub’ Policy Will Reshape Access Across Africa—and Not Quietly

A sweeping consolidation of visa services forces applicants to cross borders, raising costs, barriers, and questions about fairness.

The United States is moving ahead with a sweeping overhaul of its visa processing system in Africa, and the consequences will be immediate, uneven, and deeply felt. Sierra Leone is a clear example. The U.S. Embassy in Freetown will remain open, but it will no longer process visas. Applicants will now be forced to travel to one of the designated hubs, adding cost, uncertainty, and bureaucracy to an already demanding process.

#USVisaPolicy | #AfricaTravel

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AFRICOM Warns West African Cocaine Trade Is Fueling Terror Financing, as Spain Seizes Record 30‑Plus Tons
West Africa, Sierra Leone, Narcotics Trafficking, AFRICOM Theo Edwards West Africa, Sierra Leone, Narcotics Trafficking, AFRICOM Theo Edwards

AFRICOM Warns West African Cocaine Trade Is Fueling Terror Financing, as Spain Seizes Record 30‑Plus Tons

AFRICOM has warned that the expanding cocaine trade through West Africa is increasingly funding terrorist groups, underscoring a deepening link between organized crime and regional instability. This warning comes alongside a major development in Europe, where Spanish authorities have seized what may be the largest maritime cocaine shipment in history. Sierra Leone’s role in the trafficking corridor.

#AFRICOM | #NarcoticsTrafficking

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