Payzee Mahmod

Campaigner and Child Marriage Survivor

Payzee Mahmod is a British Kurd. A survivor of FGM and child marriage, who lost her sister Banaz in a tragic “honour” killing in 2006. As an IKWRO (Iranian and Kurdish Womens Rights Organisation) campaigner, she’s reached international audiences. She has spoken widely on the need for changes to the laws surrounding child marriage and “honour” based abuse in her TEDX talk, across radio, television and newspapers, including The Sunday Times and the BBC. Through speeches at Parliament and meeting with government officials and the Home Office Minister to explain first-hand why change is needed, Payzee campaigns for better education, training and legislation to finally make child marriage a crime in England and wales. She has launched a strongly backed campaign with various NGOs to call on the UK Government to end Child Marriage through a Private Members Bill in the House of Commons scheduled for its second reading in February 2021.