By Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
For centuries, several communities in various parts of the world have practiced Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as a cultural, religious practice or ritualistic tradition, which humanitarian organizations have opposed as a human rights violation that causes severe physical, emotional, and psychological harm to girls and women.
In a co-signed statement, the UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and UNFPA Executive Director Natalia Kanem on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, marked annually on Feb 6, stressed the need to strengthen alliances to accelerate change.
“This requires strengthened partnerships among leaders, grassroots organizations, and across sectors of health, education and social protection, as well as sustained advocacy and the expansion of social movements with girls and survivors at the center,” the statement read.
Leadership of the global agencies also highlighted that, in order to successfully end FGM, it is essential to strengthen accountability at all levels, ensuring that human rights commitments are upheld.
Policies and strategies must be also effectively implemented to safeguard at-risk girls and offer necessary support for survivors, including access to justice.
We all have a role to play
Each person in society can contribute to a world where every girl and woman is free from harm and has the right to make choices about their bodies, according to the UN agencies.
In this case, the 2025 International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM encourages each individual to play his or her role to ensure “that every girl is protected and can live free from any kind of suffering.”
Saying it is time “to step up and act urgently to end FGM,” the agencies noted that some countries, such as Gambia, have attempted “to repeal the ban on female genital mutilation persist, even after an initial proposal to do so was rejected by Parliament last year.”
“These efforts could seriously undermine the rights, health and dignity of future generations of girls and women, jeopardizing the tireless work done over decades to change attitudes and mobilize communities,” read the co-signed statement.
Glimmer of hope
Since the launch of the Joint UNFPA-UNICEF Programme in partnership with WHO on the Elimination of FGM in 2008, nearly 7 million girls and women have accessed prevention and protection services. Additionally, 48 million people have publicly declared their intention to abandon the practice and 220 million people have been reached by the media on this issue.
In their Thursday statement, the officials note that “there is hope as many countries have seen a decline in the prevalence of female genital mutilation.”
Continued collaboration
Motivated by the 2025 intenational event themed, “Stepping up the pace: Strengthening alliances and building movements to end female genital mutilation,” the UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO reaffirm their commitment to work together with countries and communities to end this harmful practice, once and for all.
They note that over the past two years, nearly 12,000 grassroots organizations and 112,000 community and frontline workers have mobilized to achieve change at this critical juncture.
Nonetheless, even though FGM continues to be performed in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, “efforts to eliminate it have increased globally due to its recognized violations of human rights and harmful health consequences.”
The global agencies appreciated the generosity of donors and partners who support the life-changing work, and called on more people to join efforts to end Female Genital Mutilation. – Vatican News
