Ending female genital mutilation is a major challenge that calls for collective action to protect girls’ health and their rights.
Every girl should be able to grow up in safety, learn, and fully exercise and enjoy her rights. Yet, for millions of girls, female genital mutilation, a practice that violates their physical integrity continues to affect their health, well-being, and dignity. These practices are neither cultural nor traditional. They constitute a serious violation of human rights and a form of gender-based violence, with lasting consequences that undermine access and completion of education, restrict opportunities, and weigh on girls’ futures throughout their lives.
While progress has been made over recent decades and support for the abandonment of these harmful practices is growing in several regions, these gains remain fragile. Declining funding and pressure on education, health, and protection systems weaken prevention efforts and expose the most vulnerable even further.
