Global health and human rights leaders have issued a joint warning that an estimated 4.5 million girls — many under five years old — remain at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) in 2026, underscoring that the harmful practice continues despite decades of efforts to end it. The statement was released to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation and reflects growing concern about the pace of progress toward eliminating FGM worldwide.
More than 230 million girls and women alive today have experienced FGM, a violation of human rights that can cause lifelong physical and psychological harm, including infections, complications in childbirth, and lasting trauma. Leaders from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other global bodies emphasized that while some progress has been made — including a decline in prevalence among younger age groups — funding shortfalls, shrinking investment, and sociocultural resistance threaten to reverse gains.
The coalition called for expanded community education, stronger legal protections, engagement with religious and traditional authorities, and investments in survivor support services to accelerate elimination efforts. They highlighted that strategic funding could prevent millions of future cases and urged sustained global coordination to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal target of ending FGM.
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