Jaha’s Promise – the eye-opening documentary about 26-year-old campaigner’s Jaha Dukureh battle to end female genital mutilation – was given a screening by Zac Goldsmith, MP for Richmond Park.

The event at Kingston Academy marked International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation on February 8.

The film premiered at the Copenhagen Film Festival in May to a standing ovation and explores Jaha Dukureh’s life in the Gambia and the USA and her pioneering efforts to end the practice of FGM.

The documentary followed the ambitious campaign which influenced the Obama Administration and resulted in a government ban of FGM in the Gambia.

It has since been announced that Jaha is nominated for the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her successful campaigning.

Following the film, Mr Goldsmith hosted leading anti-FGM campaigner Nimco Ali, who effected a change in the law of Somaliland and raised the issue of FGM to the fore of the public consciousness.

Nimco led a Q&A session with attendees after the screening, during which members of the audience responded to the call for action and discussed the different ways in which individuals could contribute to the campaign, led by Nimco in the UK, to increase awareness and finally end the practice of FGM.

Mr Goldsmith said: “Jaha and Nimco are two people who have made a remarkable difference for hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of girls. It was a privilege to be able to show the film and host Nimco.”

“Having re-established the All Party Parliamentary group for FGM, with Nimco’s help, I hope to be able to influence the way we spend our overseas development budget to better support the people who are actually making a difference on the ground.

“I have no doubt FGM can be ended within a decade.”