Interview and Q&A

Nice Nailantei Leng'ete, Human Right’s Activist 

 

Wednesday 11 May, 20:00
Auditorium, Tongersestraat 53, Maastricht
Reservations: www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/sg

 

 

Moderators:
Global Studies Student Sophia Longwe, and Mark Kawakami, Assistant Professor of Private Law, both at Maastricht University

 

 

Nice Nailantei Leng'ete is a Kenyan human rights activist, advocating for alternative rite of passage for girls in Africa and campaigning to stop female genital mutilation. She managed to become the first woman in Masai history to be bestowed with the Black Talking Stick, know as “esiere”. The stick is a symbol of leadership and allows Nice to engage conversations with men and the elders, a right usually denied to Masai girls. In her work with Amref Health Africa, Leng'ete has saved an estimated 15,000 girls from undergoing genital mutilation and for many, childhood marriages. She was named by Time Magazine in 2018 as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In April 2022 she receives the Freedom from Want Award.

She continues breaking many taboos to bring the necessary shift in culture, behaviour and beliefs, and is committed to change from within local communities. At just 30 years old, she's already changing the lives of girls and young women across the continent, and inspiring a generation to chase their own dreams. In September 2021 Leng’ete published her first book, The Girls in the Wild Fig Tree: How I fought to save myself, my sister, and thousands of girls worldwide.

 

Get inspired yourself and join this evening to listen to the story of this remarkable human right activist.