End FGM: UN Leaders Call for Action on Zero Tolerance Day
An estimated 4.5 million girls worldwide are at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM) in 2026 alone, according to a joint statement released today by the heads of six United Nations agencies. The statement, issued on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, reaffirms a commitment to ending the practice and providing support to the more than 230 million women and girls currently living with its consequences.
The UN leaders – representing UNFPA, UNICEF, OHCHR, UN Women, WHO, and UNESCO – highlighted that FGM is a violation of human rights with immediate and lifelong health risks, including chronic pain, infections, and complications during childbirth. They estimate the annual cost of treating the health impacts of FGM at approximately US$1.4 billion.
Despite the grim statistics, the statement points to accelerating progress in the fight against FGM. Gains made over the last three decades indicate that nearly two-thirds of women and men in affected countries now support its elimination. Half of all reductions in the prevalence of FGM have occurred in the past decade, decreasing the rate from one in two girls to one in three.
The UN agencies emphasized the effectiveness of interventions focused on health education, community engagement – including religious and community leaders – and the utilization of both traditional and social media. They specifically called for investment in community-led movements, particularly those involving youth, and for strengthening education through formal and community-based programs.
The statement underscored the economic benefits of ending FGM, citing an estimated tenfold return on investment. A US$2.8 billion investment could prevent 20 million cases and generate US$28 billion in returns.
Though, the UN leaders warned that progress is threatened by waning global investment and support. Funding cuts to health, education, and child protection programs are already hindering efforts, and a growing resistance to elimination efforts, including the dangerous argument that FGM is acceptable when performed by medical professionals, presents further obstacles.
The UNFPA and UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation, established in 2008, is currently implemented in 18 countries across Africa and Asia – Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Somalia, Uganda and Yemen – with broader reach and influence in other regions. The program is funded by the governments of Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and the European Union.
The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of commitment from the UN agencies and their partners, including survivors, to end FGM “once and for all.”