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Dirie

Dirie is a surname of Somali origin. It is borne by members of the Somali diaspora and by people in Somalia. The best-known bearer is Waris Dirie, a Somali-Austrian model, author, and human rights activist who has campaigned against female genital mutilation (FGM). Dirie rose to international prominence as a model in the 1990s and later became a prominent advocate for women’s rights.

She published Desert Flower, a memoir co-authored with Catherine Collins, which recounts her life, the practice

The Dirie surname appears in various spellings and is found among Somali communities in the Horn of

of
FGM,
and
her
activism.
Through
her
work,
Dirie
has
highlighted
the
harms
of
FGM
and
pushed
for
policy
changes
and
funding
for
anti-FGM
programs.
She
has
participated
in
campaigns
and
worked
with
international
organizations
and
governments
to
raise
awareness
and
promote
legal
protections
for
women
and
girls.
Africa
and
the
diaspora.
Beyond
Waris,
public
recognition
of
the
name
in
English-language
sources
is
largely
tied
to
her
work
and
advocacy.