Sanya Sharma, at 20, is a global youth activist and her accolades are numerous. She has been an active volunteer since she was 17 and now even guides the youth in their field. She believes in the power of voice of the youth and how they can make a difference in the world. During the last year she started Scarlet Udaan, an organisation focused on activism around Female Genital Cutting(FGC) and women empowerment.
In conversation with Sanya -
Scarlet Udaan, your organisation, has a unique name. Could you tell us about the story behind it?
“I wanted the organisation to represent empowerment and also to reach our full potential. The word Scarlett represents a bright red colour, which in turn signifies strength. And Udaan is a hindi word meaning ‘to soar’. Together the words are powerful in conveying the vision I have for the organisation.
What is the idea that led to the foundation of Scarlett Udaan?
“As a law student, in her volunteer project on raising awareness against gender based violence, I came across various forms of abuse as child marriage, honor-killing and even female genital cutting. What baffled me here was this was the first time even hearing the word, not once in my schooling had I across it. For those who are unaware, female genital cutting is a practice where the reproductive organs of a female are removed partially, or fully, without a medical reason. Across the world, it affects nearly 200 million women, girls, non-binary individuals. That figure is shocking. The idea itself, a way to try and control a female body by a patriarchal society, is deep-rooted in this society. This, I believe, calls for immediate action.”
Running an organisation must come with its own challenges.
“In my experience, young people around me are really a voice to be heard, and even shape policies. That is an empowering atmosphere, where I believe my voice is important, and keeps me motivated. In a way, I am carrying forward the legacy of generations of women who were activists. Challenges for me stem from balancing my law studies with activism and volunteer work. Running an organisation requires effort to be consistent and at the same time handle such a sensitive topic with so much care. I would say it is imperative to involve male allies aligning themselves to this cause to combat misogyny. Here, we have been fortunate to have active volunteers across the globe”
Could you tell us about the impact of Scarlett Udaan?
“In the past year, we have grown to have 32 active volunteers raising their voice across the globe. The impact is spread across 8 countries, where the volunteers are presenting their case to the audience. We have also done presentation programs with the UN, UN Women Generation Equality Commitment Makers. Globally, we’ve reached over 40 sessions. We also run engaging podcasts with survivors, authors, and professionals in this area. We do a lot of education work, raising awareness programs, essentially.”
FGC needs a change in mindset. We need more people involved in conversation and taking a stand against FGC. This will happen when more people realise the adverse health implications of FGC and the need to abolish such practices.
Could you tell us about what motivates you?
There definitely are days when you need to make an effort. Something that keeps me going is knowing that what we’re doing today is not only for us, but also for our future generation and that’s really powerful. As young people, we want to see the results quickly, but that’s when I remind myself that change is generational. That I am standing on the shoulders of the people who’ve worked before me. Young people globally are at the forefront of changes and just knowing that is uplifting.
Starting a movement, establishing an organisation can be a daunting task in itself. What would be your advice here in terms of employing creative ideas?
What you develop while working on an initiative is a problem solving mindset. You tackle a problem hands-on, realise its impact, take into consideration the work done thus far and go on to apply your creative solution. A question you must ask yourself here is what can I do here to make a difference?What I would say to people who want to start an initiative is - There are a lot of ways to make a difference, but what's important is that you keep showing up.
How can the reader volunteer/be a part of your organisation?
“Well, we have a highlights section on our social media (@scarletudaan) where you can find the information necessary. We have a lot of opportunities for you to get involved, events where you can up. We also have podcast where you can learn more about FGC in detail. We are also launching a volunteer program for a campaign very soon, so follow us there to find out more!
What are your words of wisdom to anyone wanting to start out as a changemaker?
“Anyone wanting to make a difference is already a changemaker. The first thing to remember is that everything you’re contributing to the movement is you and therefore, your story is important, your experiences are important and your voice too is important. And lastly, use any opportunity you get, keep learning and keep feeling empowered!
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