Genital mutilation, 4.5 million girls at risk and already 230 million victims

In 2026 alone, some 4.5 million girls, many of them under the age of five, are at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation. And already today, more than 230 million girls and women live with the lifelong consequences of this practice. On the occasion of the International Day of 'Zero Tolerance' against this practice that is still widespread in the world, with a Joint Declaration of the leaders of the main UN Agencies - Unicef and Unfpa, High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Women, WHO and Unesco - call for continued commitment and investment to finally put a stop to it and to protect "every girl and woman at risk and to continue to work to ensure that victims of this harmful practice have access to adequate and quality services".

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a violation of human rights and cannot be justified in any way, the UN directors remind us. This is - it is always good to refresh - because it compromises the physical and mental health of girls and women and can lead to serious permanent complications, with treatment costs estimated at around USD 1.4 billion per year.

Interventions aimed at ending female genital mutilation over the past three decades are having an effect, with almost two-thirds of the population in countries where they are widespread speaking out against elimination. After decades of slow change, progress is accelerating: half of what has been achieved since 1990 has been achieved in the last decade, reducing the number of girls subjected to FGM from one in two to one in three. We need to build on this momentum and accelerate progress to achieve the sustainable development goal of ending female genital mutilation by 2030.

But 'health education, the involvement of religious and community leaders, parents and health workers, and the use of traditional and social media are effective strategies to end this practice,' the leaders warn in their statement. We must invest in community-led movements, including grassroots and youth networks, and strengthen education through both formal and community-based approaches'. And then, warn the UN agency leaders, 'we must amplify prevention messages by engaging trusted opinion leaders, including health workers. And we must support survivors by ensuring they have access to comprehensive and context-appropriate health care, psychosocial support and legal aid'.

It is estimated that every dollar invested in ending female genital mutilation yields a tenfold return. An investment of $2.8 billion could prevent 20 million cases and generate $28 billion in return on investment.