A woman who leads the first organisation to campaign against breast ironing has been nominated for an award, writes Jane Harrison.

Margaret Nyuydzewira co-founded the CAME Women and Girls Development organisation, which fights to stop all kinds of gender-based and domestic violence, both here and abroad.

That includes breast ironing, an African ritual which involves pressing the breasts of adolescent girls, with a stone or spatula heated over a fire.

It is usually carried out by mothers who want to prevent their daughters from growing breasts, which would attract unwanted male attention, possible rape and pregnancy. There is also a social stigma attached, as girls with large breasts are often viewed as promiscuous.

Margaret, 54, who believes the practice goes on here, said: “The problem is this is done by the mothers to protect their daughters so the daughters think it is something good.

“It has been going on for generations in other countries and is going on here in secrecy so it’s very hard to stop. Some children develop breasts as early as nine so it is happening earlier and has a long-term effect. Some children never develop breasts and there is a psychological impact.”

Her organisation, based in the Greenford Business Centre in Oldfield Lane North, also campaigns against female genital mutilation (FMG), child marriage and rape, as well as supporting sexual health education,

The mother of four from Greenford said CAME originally started in 2010 as a social group for African women in the UK. It has now broadened its scope to empower women here and in her native Cameroon, where disabled women who have been abandoned are also helped.

She said: “We talk to groups, the media, social services and the police. We are the only group talking about breast ironing. We need to make people understand this is an issue.”

Margaret was nominated by Betty Kemngang, who said: “For the past three years, women and girls are able to speak out about breast ironing. Thousands of people heard about breast ironing for the first time.

“Currently she is pioneering projects and programmes to fight gender-based violence and domestic violence.

“She is committed to designing activities to reduce poverty, unemployment and crime, among young people from disadvantaged communities, women and girls, and has increased and improved young people’s knowledge, attitudes, behaviours and practices on sexual health.

“She is dedicated to empowering women through a sewing and jewellery-making social enterprise project.”

Margaret, who was also nominated for an African Women’s Achievement award: volunteer of the year, added: “I do this because it makes me happy but it’s nice to know we are having some effect.”