By Doris Obinna
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is traditional harmful practice. It involves partial or total removal of external female genitalia.
Its procedures are excruciating, such as altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons. FGM is recognised globally as a violation of the human rights, the health and the integrity of girls and women.
It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women and girls. The practice also violates their rights to health, security and physical integrity, their right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and their right to life when the procedure results in death.
Girls who undergo female genital mutilation face short-term complications such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, infections, and difficulty in passing urine, as well as long-term consequences for their sexual and reproductive health and mental health.
International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (IDZTFGM) is a United Nations (UN) event, observed February 6, every year, to raise awareness as part of its efforts to eradicate FGM.
The 2025 theme: “Her Voice. Her Future,” emphasises the critical role of survivors in leading the movement against FGM. Survivor-led initiatives advocate for policy changes, challenge harmful social norms, and empower women and girls to exercise their rights to health, education, and security. This collective action is essential for transforming societal attitudes and achieving gender equality.
In addition, the UN, had stressed the need for African and Asian countries like Nigeria, where FGM is prevalent, to implement male participation programs to end the widespread practice of FGM.
Specifically, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) also, highlighted that engaging men in programs is crucial for fostering changes in social behavior and gender norms that perpetuate FGM.
According to the UN agencies, the involvement of men in efforts to eradicate Female Genital Cutting (FGC) has become critical in Nigeria and 16 other countries to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Also, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) contain a specific target calling for an end to FGM. When this practice is fully abandoned, positive effects will reverberate across societies as girls and women reclaim their health, human rights and vast potential.
UNICEF Chief, Lagos Office, Celine Lafoucriere, disclosed that the prevalence of FGM in Nigeria “is highest in the South East, with 35 per cent of 0 to 14-year-old girls being affected, followed by the Southwest, with 30 per cent of girls being affected by FGM.
Make FGM history
To mark IDZTFGM, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, urged countries to make female genital mutilation history: “FGM is a horrific act of gender-based violence. More than 230 million girls and women alive today are survivors of this abhorrent practice.
“As one of the most brutal manifestations of gender inequality, female genital mutilation inflicts profound, lifelong physical and mental harm, carries life-threatening health risks, and violates the rights of women and girls to bodily autonomy, safety, and dignity. Eradicating this vicious human rights violation is urgent, and it is possible.”
Lafoucriere, however, noted: “We must strengthen global movements to break down harmful attitudes, beliefs and gender stereotypes. And we need to bolster strong partnerships between governments, grassroots organizations and survivors to supercharge efforts and eliminate this scourge by 2030.
“The Pact for the Future, agreed at the United Nations last September, includes a commitment by Member States to eliminate female genital mutilation by tackling negative social norms and gender discrimination.
“Let’s join forces to make female genital mutilation history and ensure a brighter, healthier and more just future for all women and girls everywhere.”
Strategies and interventions
Lafoucriere continued: “For more than a decade, the joint UNFPA-UNICEF programme to end FGM has supported survivors of FGM, prioritising investments in survivor-led initiatives centered around empowerment and access to essential services. Investment in FGM-survivor-led initiatives contributes to creating environments where girls’ and women’s rights are upheld, promoting well-being and healthy lives.
“Collaborations are focused on increasing the number of people, including boys and men, engaged through community platforms and forums in reflective dialogue toward eliminating discriminatory social and gender norms and all harmful practices, such as FGM, that affect girls and women. These platforms and forums need to be promoted and their numbers increased. We also work with partners to encourage more Nigerians to join the Movement for Good (M4G) to promote FGM elimination in the country actively.
“Over three million people have signed the pledge between September and December 2023, but we need many more members. In addition, we partner with those mentioned in other to increase the number of women and girls who receive prevention and protection services on female genital mutilation.”
Role of religious, community leaders
Lafoucriere reiterated: “The education sector and communities need to increase the number of girls and women who receive prevention services on FGM through UNICEF-supported programmes (Community programmes and in-school curriculums).
“Religious, community leaders and traditional influencers have a very key role to play in publicly denouncing FGM practices. “Also, all stakeholders should elevate survivor voices to ensure they are at the forefront of local, regional, and national stigma-free spaces for open dialogue with communities, schools, and online platforms.
“On the other hand, government should strengthen the enforcement of the National Act on Violence Against Persons, enacted in 2015, to ensure zero-tolerance of FGM. Besides, government and other actors should strengthen the skills and competencies of health and social workers to deliver sensitive and informed care to victims of FGM.
“All partners are called to work towards increasing the power and agency of survivors through educational programmes, life-skill training, and entrepreneurship opportunities to advocate for zero FGM cases in the next generation.”
Importance of male involvement
The international agencies stressed the importance of male involvement in protecting hundreds of Nigerian girls and women from FGM in order to eradicate the practice.
The demands of the United Nations body were contained in a joint statement titled, UNFPA-UNICEF on the elimination FGM in Nigeria.
Nigeria is among the 17 countries where FGM is still prevalent, with millions of girls and women subjected to the practice, which is a violation of their rights, according to the UN agencies.
In 2023, the UN agencies revealed that 4.3 million girls are at risk of female genital mutilation, according to the latest estimates. This number is projected to reach 4.6 million by 2030, as conflict, climate change, rising poverty, and inequality continue to hinder efforts to transform gender and social norms that underpin this harmful practice and disrupt programs that help protect girls.
Despite the grave dangers of the practice, Nigeria accounts for the third highest number of women and girls who have undergone FGM worldwide, with an estimated 19.9 million survivors.
Further, the 2018 NDHS showed that the risk of FGC or FGM is highest during the first five years, as 86 per cent of girls are circumcised before the age of five.
It is cheering to note that FGM prevalence in Nigeria witnessed a decrease among women aged 15-49 in recent years. The 2021 Multiple Indicator Survey (MICS) showed that FGM decreased from 18 per cent to 15 per cent from 2016-17 to 2021. The report further stated that the prevalence among girls aged 0-14 decreased from 25 per cent to eight per cent during the same time period.
This significant reduction in prevalence among girls aged 0-14 is a welcome development, given that an estimated 86 per cent of females aged 15-49 were subjected to FGM before the age of five (NDHS 2018).
“Undoubtedly, men and boys remain key partners in addressing gender inequalities and harmful practices as we all collaboratively join hands to deliver the global promise of eliminating FGM by 2030,” UNFPA Resident Representative, Ulla E. Mueller, proposed.
Global impact and connection to SDGs
According to SDG Resource Centre: “Though traditionally concentrated in 30 countries across Africa, the Middle East, and some parts of Asia and Latin America, female genital mutilation persists globally, including among migrant communities in Europe, North America, and Oceania.
“While a girl is now one-third less likely to undergo this harmful practice than 30 years ago, over 200 million women and girls have already been affected, with 4.4 million girls estimated to be at risk in 2025 alone. This equates to more than 12,000 cases every day.
“Again, the campaign to eliminate female genital mutilation is directly aligned with several key SDGs:
“SDG 3: Good health and well-being- Ending female genital mutilation is crucial for ensuring physical and mental health for women and girls.
“SDG 4: Quality Education- Empowering women and girls through education can help eliminate harmful practices by fostering awareness and self-advocacy.
“SDG 5: Gender Equality- The elimination of female genital mutilation is a fundamental target under this goal, aiming to empower all women and girls to live free from violence and discrimination.”
UN key facts
Globally, it is estimated that at least 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone some form of FGM. If current trends continue, 15 million additional girls between ages 15 and 19 will be subjected to it by 2030.
Girls 14 and younger represent 44 million of those who have been cut, with the highest prevalence of FGM among this age in Gambia at 56 per cent, Mauritania 54 per cent and Indonesia where around half of girls aged 11 and younger have undergone the practice.
Countries with the highest prevalence among girls and women aged 15 to 49 are Somalia 98 per cent, Guinea 97 per cent and Djibouti 93 per cent.
FGM is mostly carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and age 15. It causes severe bleeding and health issues including cysts, infections, infertility as well as complications in childbirth increased risk of newborn deaths. FGM is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
WHO response
In 2008, the World Health Assembly passed resolution WHA61.16 on the elimination of FGM, emphasizing the need for concerted action in all sectors: health, education, finance, justice and women’s affairs.
WHO supports a holistic health sector response to FGM prevention and care, by developing guidance and resources for health workers to prevent FGM and manage its complications and by supporting countries to adapt and implement these resources to local contexts. WHO also generates evidence to improve the understanding of FGM and what works to end this harmful practice.
Since then, WHO has developed a global strategy against FGM medicalization with partner organizations and continues to support countries in its implementation.
