Stepping Up the Pace to End Female Genital Mutilation

Fiyha, 13, is a child rights activist and former president of the girls' or Saleema club at her school in the remote locality of Al-Gabaleen, White Nile State, Sudan. The country has one of the world's highest rates of FGM — an estimated 9 out of 10 women have been subjected to the dangerous practice. © UNICEF/UNI502078/Elfatih

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a devastating violation of human rights, affecting millions of girls and women worldwide. Despite ongoing efforts to eliminate this harmful practice, nearly 4.4 million girls are projected to be at risk in 2025 alone. While progress has been made, more action is urgently needed to protect future generations and challenge the deep-rooted social norms that sustain FGM.

The Global Impact of FGM

FGM refers to the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The consequences are lifelong—leading to chronic pain, infections, complications in childbirth, psychological trauma, and even death.

Over 230 million girls and women alive today are FGM survivors.

The highest prevalence is in African countries (over 144 million cases), followed by 80 million in Asia and 6 million in the Middle East. However, FGM is also practiced in smaller communities across the globe, including within diasporas in Western nations.

Women like Tejitu from Ethiopia have lived with the traumatic effects of FGM for years.

At just 11 years old, she was pressured by friends to undergo the procedure without her family's consent. “Peer pressure is a real issue, especially for a young girl with no understanding of FGM,” she says. Her story is just one of millions that highlight the urgent need for intervention.

In Ethiopia, Tejitu (her face covered to protect her privacy) was subjected to female genital mutilation at the age of 11. The traumatic experience haunts her to this day. “My friends took me without my family consent to get circumcised. Peer pressure is a real issue, especially for a young girl with no understanding of FGM,” she says. © UNICEF/UNI509464/Ayene

Changing Social Norms and Policies

Ending FGM requires more than just legislation—it demands cultural and societal transformation. Since 2008, UNICEF and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) have led the Joint Program on the Elimination of FGM, implementing evidence-based, multi-sectoral interventions to prevent the practice and support survivors.

Through this initiative:

• 7 million girls and women have accessed FGM prevention and protection services.

• 48 million people have publicly declared their commitment to abandoning the practice.

• 220 million individuals have been reached with mass media awareness campaigns.

Local community-led initiatives have proven especially effective. In Uganda, for example, former FGM practitioner Chekoi Margret, 73, abandoned the practice after witnessing the deaths of young girls. She now advocates against FGM, working to educate her community about its dangers.

Similarly, in Sudan, where an estimated 9 out of 10 women have undergone FGM, 13-year-old child rights activist Fiyha has dedicated herself to spreading awareness through Saleema clubs. These clubs promote the idea that girls should remain “whole, healthy, and unharmed”, rejecting the cultural beliefs that perpetuate FGM.

The Road Ahead: Challenges and Progress

While some countries have made progress, others continue to resist change. In The Gambia, attempts to repeal the FGM ban persist despite strong opposition from human rights organisations.

Of the 31 countries where national data is available, only seven are on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal of ending FGM by 2030.

The fight against FGM is far from over. The practice continues to undermine the rights, dignity, and futures of millions of girls, trapping them in cycles of poverty and inequality.

To truly end FGM, we must:

• Increase global investment in prevention and survivor support.

• Strengthen grassroots movements that empower local communities to reject FGM.

• Ensure that laws banning FGM are enforced effectively.

• Continue education campaigns to shift social norms and attitudes.

  
  

How You Can Help

Organisations like UNICEF are leading the charge to end FGM, but they need support. Advocacy, donations, and education efforts are critical to ensuring every girl can grow up safe, free, and in control of her own body.

FGM is not just a women’s issue—it is a global human rights crisis. The time to act is now.

Note: Originally published by https://www.unicefusa.org/