Assita Kanko ticket is to New York City in the not too distant future

I’ve been following Assita Kanko, Member of European Parliament on social media for quite some time, so it was a true thrill to welcome her into the studio to mark The One Way Ticket Show’s 13th anniversary!

Ms. Kanko was born in 1980 in Godyr, Burkina Faso. She grew up in a society where women’s rights were severley restricted and was subjected to female genital mutilation as a child. At a young age she began writing about human rights and women’s rights. In 2001, she moved to Belgium, where she eventually became a naturalized citizen. She studied journalism and political science and became a well-known voice in public debate, working as an author, opinion maker, and human rights activist.

Since 2019, Ms. Kanko has been a Member of the European Parliament for the N-VA party, affiliated with the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group. Within Parliament, she serves on the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, where she focuses on issues such as migration, security, women’s rights, and the fight against human trafficking. She is a vocal advocate for a controlled migration policy and the protection of Europe’s external borders. Ms. Kanko also champions women’s empowerment, equal opportunities, and the defense of European values.

In our conversation, Ms. Kanko shares her journey from being a journalism student and activist in her native Burkina Faso, to being a powerful voice in Brussels.

Plus, she covers:

The stigma attached to being a conservative black woman
How it angers her that we still need to discuss protecting women against radical Islam
Why the rape of Israeli women on October 7th demonstrates that rape as a weapon of war is not treated the same everywhere (and her relentless fight against those who act as if the rapes and mutilations of these women never took place)
Why UN Women and UNRWA need to be dissolved such that their funding can go to better use
Why the most important issue nobody is talking about today is Russia and China’s engagement in the Sahel region
Why Europe needs to invest in its industries and defense
The one thing every visitor should do when traveling to Belgium.

As for her “one way ticket” destination of choice? It’s to New York City in the not too distant future, where she’ll bring her grandmother, mother and beliy.