Diaryatou Bah is a French-Guinean feminist and secular activist born on October 25, 1985, in Guinea, who has become a major figure in the fight against female genital mutilation (FGM) and violence against women. A survivor of FGM at age 8 and a forced marriage at 13 to a 45-year-old man, she managed to emancipate herself and transform her trauma into activist strength. Founder of the association "Women's Hopes and Struggles," author of the autobiography "They Stole My Childhood" (2006), and educator in a social integration center, she leads a tireless fight to raise awareness about female genital mutilation and women's emancipation.
Her commitment has earned her several distinctions, including the "Women of France" Courage Award in 2018 and the title of Knight of the National Order of Merit in 2022. Naturalized as French in 2014, she is also a municipal councilor in Romainville and continues to warn about the dangers of FGM, particularly its growing medicalization in African hospitals.
Introduction
Diaryatou Bah is a French-Guinean feminist and secular activist who transformed her painful personal history into a powerful fight for women's rights. Born in Guinea and a survivor of female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage, she has become a major voice in the fight against female genital mutilation and for women's emancipation.
Childhood and Education
Born on October 25, 1985, in Guinea, Diaryatou Bah grew up in the small village of Sakilé. Coming from a large family of 32 children born to four co-wives, she was raised until the age of 10 by her grandmother in a community of women. This period of her life was brutally marked by her experience of FGM at the age of 8 in 1993, a practice then considered traditional and unavoidable in her community.
After her grandmother's death, she joined her father, a respected neighborhood chief, and his co-wives in Conakry. Her life took a dramatic turn at age 13 when she was forcibly married to a 45-year-old man who falsely presented himself as a European Union official in Amsterdam.
Beginning of the Fight
The forced marriage marked the beginning of a traumatic period for young Diaryatou. First settled in the Netherlands and then in the Paris region, she discovered that her husband was actually an undocumented spiritual leader already married to three other women. During this period, she suffered regular domestic violence that resulted in three miscarriages, the first when she was only 14 years old.
The turning point in her life came in 2004, when she was 17. In her husband's absence, she discovered on television the testimony of a woman who had escaped a forced marriage. This revelation became her catalyst: she contacted the social worker at Les Lilas city hall and managed to escape her marriage. Despite spending six difficult months on the street and in emergency shelters, she began her reconstruction, learning French, reading, and writing at the Ménilmontant young workers' hostel.
Activist Work
From 2006, Diaryatou Bah transformed her personal experience into militant engagement. She founded the association "Women's Hopes and Struggles" to fight against FGM and violence against women. Her action operates on several fronts: raising awareness in Guinea, where 97% of girls undergo FGM according to UNICEF, intervention in prisons like Fleury-Mérogis, and work with various associations including "Let's Talk About FGM!" and "Neither Whores Nor Submissive."
She has become an important figure in the fight against FGM, notably as an ambassador for the "FGM Alert" campaign, which aims to protect teenagers at risk of FGM during visits to their country of origin. In 2024, she raised awareness about a new challenge: the "medicalization" of FGM in African hospitals, which risks perpetuating this practice by making it appear "safer."
Works
In 2006, Diaryatou Bah published her autobiography "They Stole My Childhood," a poignant testimony that became a crucial awareness tool in her fight. The book recounts her journey from childhood in Guinea to her emancipation in France, offering valuable insight into the realities of FGM and forced marriage.
Awards and Recognition
Her commitment has earned her several important distinctions:
2018: "Women of France" Courage Award, presented by Valérie Pécresse 2021: Official support from Marlène Schiappa, Secretary of State for Equality between Women and Men 2022: Knight of the National Order of Merit 2022: Elected municipal councilor in Romainville
Personal Life
Today, Diaryatou Bah works as an educator in a social insertion center of the Aurore association. Naturalized as French in 2014, she continues her fight while directly helping people in precarious situations. She maintains an active presence on social media, notably through her association's Facebook page, where she receives numerous messages from young girls of African origin who identify with her journey.
Conclusion
Diaryatou Bah's journey illustrates how resilience and courage can transform a victim into a powerful activist for social change. Her fight against FGM and violence against women, rooted in her personal experience, continues to inspire and help many women. She embodies the importance of education in women's emancipation and demonstrates that the fight against harmful traditional practices requires constant and multiple engagement, involving both women and men in the fight for equality.
