The Urgent Call to End Female Genital Mutilation: Building Alliances for Change

Female genital mutilation is a grave violation of human rights, leaving deep and lifelong physical, emotional, and psychological scars on girls and women. Today, more than 230 million girls and women worldwide have been affected by this harmful practice. Without urgent action, an estimated 27 million more girls could suffer this violation of their dignity and rights by 2030.

On this International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, and in alignment with the theme “Stepping up the Pace: Strengthening Alliances and Building Movements to End Female Genital Mutilation,” UNFPA, UNICEF, and WHO reaffirm the commitment to work alongside countries and communities to eradicate this practice once and for all.

There is reason for hope. Many countries have seen a decline in female genital mutilation prevalence, particularly in Kenya and Uganda, where collaborative action and community-led initiatives are proving that strong alliances and grassroots movements can drive meaningful change.

Since the launch of the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation in 2008, in collaboration with WHO, significant strides have been made. Nearly 7 million girls and women have accessed prevention and protection services. Approximately 48 million people have publicly declared their abandonment of the practice. Over 220 million individuals have been reached through mass media awareness campaigns. In the last two years alone, close to 12,000 grassroots organizations and 112,000 community and frontline workers have mobilized to drive change.

However, progress remains fragile. In the Gambia, for example, efforts to repeal the ban on FGM persist, despite an earlier rejection by parliament. Such setbacks threaten to undo decades of advocacy, putting millions of girls at risk.

Currently, of the 31 countries where female genital mutilation prevalence is tracked, only seven are on course to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ending the practice by 2030. To meet this target, the pace of progress must accelerate significantly.

Achieving this requires strengthened alliances among leaders, grassroots organizations, and across sectors, including health, education, and social protection. Sustained advocacy and expanded social movements are essential to ensuring that girls and survivors remain at the heart of the conversation. Greater accountability is needed to uphold human rights commitments, enforce protective policies, and provide justice and care for survivors. Increased investment in proven interventions is also critical, supported by generous donors and partners committed to this life-changing work.

Ending female genital mutilation is a collective responsibility. Every girl deserves to grow up safe, free from harm, and in control of her own future. Let’s step up the pace and act with urgency—because the time to end female genital mutilation is now.