Nimco Ali is an FGM survivor, strategist and author. Born in Somaliland, she is CEO and Co-Founder of The Five Foundation, The Global Partnership To End FGM. She also previously co-founded Daughters of Eve in 2010. Nimco’s work over the last decade and a half has helped to position FGM as a central issue in ending violence against women and girls. From 2020-2022 she was also the independent advisor on violence against women and girls for the UK Home Office.
Nimco’s professional experience has included working for counter-terrorism within the civil service and supporting the rights of girls as part of Girlguiding UK. She is also a leading commentator in international media on the rights of girls and women – particularly surrounding FGM and related issues.
During 2019, Nimco was awarded an OBE for her groundbreaking activism. This adds to her long list of achievements to date. In 2014, Nimco was awarded Red Magazine’s Woman of the Year award, and placed at No 6 on the Woman’s Hour Power List. Most recently she was named by The Sunday Times as one of Debrett’s 500 most influential people in Britain, well as one of the Evening Standard’s 1000 Most Powerful and BBC’s 100 Women.
Nimco’s debate book, What We’re Told Not To Talk About But We’re Going To Anyway, was published by Penguin in June 2019.