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Payzee Mahmod is an inspirational speaker who inspires millions of women from different backgrounds to take charge of their lives. Learn more about Mahmod and her transformational speeches.
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Forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and child marriage are taboo topics that are rarely discussed in an open forum. However, these practices are still prevalent across many communities, impacting thousands of women each year. They are complicated issues that are mired in culture, tradition, and control, making it difficult for women to directly oppose and save themselves from these life-changing, traumatic events.
To bring attention to these problems and empower women to take charge of their lives, voices like Payzee Mahmod have emerged. As a child marriage victim, Mahmod can relate to the struggles of other women and works actively to eliminate these practices from today’s modern world.
In this article, we will talk about the Payzee Mahmod campaign and how they are changing the conversation on forced marriage.
Payzee Mahmod story is one of tragedy and resilience, and this is why her voice is so loud and powerful today. She grew up in a conservative Kurdish family in South London. At the age of 16, she was forced to marry a 30-year-old man. It was arranged by her parents, and a date was fixed. Despite her pleas, no friends or relatives intervened to save her.
After getting married, she was not allowed to attend college and was expected to focus on domestic duties, such as cooking and cleaning, at home. When she found out she was pregnant, she had an abortion. Finally, when she turned 18, she got a divorce. During these two years, she lived in fear as her sister Banaz, who was also forced into an abusive marriage, filed a police report, and came back home to live with her parents. A few weeks later, Banaz’s body was found in a suitcase as she was killed by her own father, uncle, and cousin as an “honour” killing.
When Mahmod repeats her life story, she strikes a chord with her audience, and seeing her strength and resilience is motivating for many women. What is more striking is that she changed her personal tragedy into a public change that has saved many more girls from going through the same fate as the Mahmod sisters. This transformation and expression of personal experience through multiple interviews and social media channels, especially through Payzee Mahmod Instagram account, has been inspirational.
Payzee Mahmod has used her story as the basis to bring about drastic change in policies and regulations. Due to her efforts, it is now illegal in the UK to get married under the age of 18. This is a significant change as it prevents child and forced marriages because, as adults, women have the option to walk out of a forced or abusive marriage and live independently without requiring support from parents.
She regularly engages with lawmakers, charities, educators, and even corporate audiences to raise awareness about these issues and urge them to take small steps towards addressing gender and equality issues they see around them. To her, abolishing forced marriage is not about customs or traditions, but it is a choice that every girl must have for her safety and right to dignity.
Payzee Mahmod is a part of a cohort of culture speakers who are addressing the difficult topics. By bringing these topics into the open, among crowds of different genders, Mahmod presents a different perspective to non-women who have knowingly or unknowingly encouraged or even been muted to these practices. Her ability to engage people from different backgrounds and cultures helps dispel the myths surrounding forced marriages.
In particular, her storytelling abilities, along with her personal experience, act as a powerful catalyst for change in the mindset of her listeners. It also helps shift cultural conversations and perspectives towards more open and lenient ideas, where dignity, rights, personal freedom, and choices take precedence over established social and cultural norms.
Payzee Mahmod is both personal and inspirational. Many women who have grown up in strict patriarchal families or have been victims of social and cultural practices can relate to Mahmod's story. Her rise from these dark moments to become a successful speaker is inspirational, even for those who have been fortunate not to experience similar circumstances. Her story of grit and determination is relatable and applies to any situation, both personal and professional.
Many organisations today take advantage of speakers like Payzee Mahmod to inspire their employees to face their fears and obstacles to rise up along their careers. Her speeches also revolve around women's empowerment and can help with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives that are mandatory for organisations operating in certain countries.
To give a wider reach to her ambitions and to get her message to more people, Mahmod has written her experiences in the form of a book. Titled, “No Safe Place: Murdered By Our Father”, Payzee Mahmod’s Biography is bringing the spotlight on the issue of child and forced marriages, and the idea of honour killing.
As a bestseller, it is hoped that it will inspire families to rise beyond social norms to provide freedom and equal rights to the women in their lives. At the same time, her book can be an eye-opener to non-women who are willingly or unwillingly dragged into these issues.
To conclude, Payze Mahmod is an inspiring personality who has the power to change lives. Her speeches are inspirational to people from all walks of life, and her story can make every individual believe in themselves and their efforts to reach a higher goal. Organisations, in particular, must tap into her abilities to motivate employees while bringing the spotlight on gender-related issues.
If you want to bring Payzee Mahmod to speak at one of your events, reach out to the Speaker Agency.
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