Subscribe
As the world marked the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on February 6, 2025, global organisations highlighted the need for continued efforts to eliminate the practice. This year’s theme, Step up the Pace, focused on strengthening alliances and expanding movements to protect girls and women from FGM.
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to tackling FGM. UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged progress while also noting persistent challenges in the statement.
WHO has announced plans to release new guidelines on preventing and managing FGM-related complications. Training healthcare providers is a key component of efforts to support survivors and prevent new cases, Ghebreyesus stated.
Since 2008, nearly seven million girls and women have accessed prevention and protection services, while 48 million people have publicly rejected FGM. Additionally, mass media campaigns have reached approximately 220 million individuals. In the past two years, nearly 12,000 grassroots organisations and 112,000 community and frontline workers have been involved in efforts to address the issue, the statement highlighted.
However, progress remains uneven. In the Gambia, recent attempts to repeal the ban on FGM highlight ongoing opposition to its prohibition. Of the 31 countries where data is collected on FGM prevalence, only seven are currently on track to meet the UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of eliminating the practice by 2030.
FGM remains a violation of human rights, causing long-term physical, emotional, and psychological harm. More than 230 million girls and women worldwide have undergone the procedure, and if current trends continue, an estimated 27 million more could be affected by 2030.
The UNFPA-UNICEF programme on FGM elimination has shown that progress is possible through coordinated action. Some countries, including Kenya and Uganda, have reported declining prevalence rates due to community-led initiatives and stronger policies.
Eliminating FGM requires collaboration among governments, civil society, healthcare providers, and grassroots organisations. Advocacy, investment in education and protection programmes, and enforcement of laws against FGM remain crucial.
The UN agencies called on policymakers and donors to increase efforts and allocate resources towards initiatives that support girls and women at risk.
“Let’s step up the pace and act with urgency,” the joint statement noted. “Without sustained action, millions more could be subjected to this practice.”
