While many people are aware that FGM happens in Africa, few realise that the practice is also prevalent in Europe. The brief was to open European audiences’ eyes to the hundreds of thousands of girls who are at risk of FGM in countries like Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and the UK.

The flags accurately represent Type 3 FGM. To recreate this, the practice was carefully researched. One member of the design team learned to suture in order to recreate the effect that stitching would have on different fabrics and flag patterns. Each flag was custom designed as a physical piece and then recreated as a digital illustration. The style of stitching, the folds, the distressing and amount of blood were then crafted for each nation’s flag. The hand-stitched theme was carried through to the custom-designed type on each execution.

The flag imagery creates an emotional connection and at the same time alarms the viewer with the brutality with which the flags were treated. Just like the victims of FGM, these iconic symbols of freedom and liberty are violated and degraded, instantly provoking Europeans to act against such senseless cruelty.

The campaign provoked a visceral reaction in viewers. Seeing something as emotional as a flag treated with such brutality provoked people to feel empathy with the hundreds of thousands of girls who are at risk of being treated this way. The campaign made European audiences realise that FGM isn’t something that only happens in far off places, and provoked them to support 28 Too Many to help end FGM everywhere.

28 Too Many is a London-based organisation that works to end female genital mutilation (FGM) in the 28 African nations where it takes place and in the parts of the world where the practice continues in spite of laws against it. The target audience is Europeans who believe that FGM is not an issue that directly affects them.