On the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the UNFPA Executive Director, UNICEF Executive Director, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Women Executive Director, WHO Director-General, and UNESCO Director-General jointly reaffirmed their commitment to ending FGM globally. In 2026 alone, an estimated 4.5 million girls, many under five, are at risk of undergoing FGM, while more than 230 million women and girls live with its lifelong consequences. The statement emphasizes that FGM is a violation of human rights, posing severe physical and mental health risks, with treatment costs estimated at US$1.4 billion annually.
Progress over the past three decades has shown impact, with nearly two-thirds of populations in countries where FGM is prevalent supporting its elimination. The last decade accounted for half of all gains since 1990, reducing the prevalence from one in two girls to one in three. Despite these advancements, the UN leaders stress that efforts must accelerate to meet the Sustainable Development Goal target of ending FGM by 2030.
Effective strategies include health education, engaging religious and community leaders, mobilizing parents and health workers, and leveraging traditional and social media. Investment in community-led initiatives, grassroots movements, and youth networks, along with access to education and comprehensive services for survivors, are critical for sustained progress. Every dollar invested in ending FGM is projected to yield a tenfold return, with US$2.8 billion preventing 20 million cases and generating US$28 billion in benefits.
However, the statement warns that declining international investment in health, education, and child protection, coupled with arguments that medicalized FGM is acceptable, threatens to reverse progress. Without predictable and adequate financing, prevention programs risk scaling back, frontline services may weaken, and millions more girls could be placed at risk. The UN leaders reaffirmed their ongoing commitment, working with local and global partners, including survivors, to end FGM once and for all.
