Building on its 2024 event, Savera UK is hosting a second online seminar on FGM and Healthcare, this time focusing on improving interventions for survivors and those at risk.

 

Attendees will receive updates on the current national picture, hear the dual perspective of Khatra Paterson, an FGM survivor working in healthcare, learn about Savera UK's frontline work from CEO and founder Afrah Qassim and hear from Juliet Albert from ACERS-UK, an group campaigning to have reconstruction for FGM survivors made available on the NHS. The event will be chaired by Dr Susan Waigwa.

 

There will also be time for discussion and a Q&A with panellists - full speaker information below.

FGM and Healthcare - Improving Interventions - FGM and Healthcare - Improving Interventions - Free Registration

Free Registration


Register

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Khatra Paterson

Khatra Paterson is a Somalian-born, female business owner and mother of two, with a passion for ensuring women’s health and wellbeing. As an FGM survivor and Savera UK Survivor Ambassador, Khatra is keen to raise awareness about how women can promote and maintain their health and wellbeing irrespective of their experiences. Having spent 32 years as a nurse, midwife and health visitor, Khatra’s caring and compassionate side has been well proven. Khatra has overcome trauma to build a thriving and inclusive £2 million business and she remains resolved to make a real difference in people's lives by supporting survivors of FGM. 

Dr Susan Waigwa

Dr Susan Waigwa is a researcher in public health currently based at the University and Liverpool and with ties at the University of Birmingham. Her research mainly focuses on subjects related to women’s health such as menopause, childbirth related trauma, domestic abuse, and harmful practices including forced marriage and female genital mutilation/cutting. Susan has abundant skills and experience working with marginalised and minoritised communities both in the UK and abroad. She enjoys engaging in community work and is a trustee for Savera UK.

Juliet Albert

Juliet is a specialist FGM midwife and Trust FGM lead at Imperial College. She qualified in 1996 and worked as a 1-1 Midwife, Community Midwife and in the Birth Centre, leading numerous homebirths and water births. In 2007 Juliet set up the Acton community clinic for non-pregnant women with Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) offering same-day walk-in deinfibulation under local anaesthetic; accepting self-referrals; has no geographical boundaries; and pioneered a holistic model of care co-locating bilingual Health Advocates and trauma Counsellors. The service won a Guardian Public Service Award in Diversity and Equality in 2011. Juliet was seconded for the Department of Health’s FGM Prevention Programme in 2014. In 2017 she became head of Knowledge Hub and Community Engagement at Barnardo’s National FGM Centre and simultaneously won and managed a £150,000 social exclusion award from Imperial Charity. In 2017 the community clinic was moved into hospital outpatients and rebranded, the Sunflower clinics. Juliet has trained countless Midwives, Doctors and other frontline professionals and leads community initiatives. She was previously a member of the FGM National Clinical Group and the RCOG’s FGM taskforce; peer reviewed the RCOG’s FGM Green Top guidelines; and co-chairs the FGM National health network. She currently co-leads ACERS-UK – Advocating for research into reconstruction surgery and psychosexual therapy. FGM Reconstruction Surgery – FGM Network

Afrah Qassim

Afrah is the Founder and CEO of Savera UK, a leading national charity working to end 'honour'-based abuse and harmful practices including female genital mutilation, forced marriage, virginity testing and breast ironing. Afrah is also the Chair of Liverpool Arab Arts Festival (LAAF) and winner of the Woman of Courage Award by Merseyside Women of the Year Awards 2022.