• Joint statement by the UNFPA Executive Director, UNICEF Executive Director, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Women Executive Director, WHO Director-General, and UNESCO Director-General on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation In 2026 alone, an estimated 4.5 million girls - many under the age of five - are at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM). • Currently, more than 230 million girls and women are living with its lifelong consequences. • Today, on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, we reaffirm our commitment to end female genital mutilation for every girl and every woman at risk, and to continue working to ensure those subjected to this harmful practice have access to quality and appropriate services. • Female genital mutilation is a violation of human rights and cannot be justified on any grounds. • It compromises girls’ and women’s physical and mental health and can lead to serious, lifelong complications, with treatment costs estimated at about US$ 1.4 billion every year. • Interventions aimed at ending female genital mutilation over the last three decades are having an impact, with nearly two-thirds of the population in countries where it is prevalent expressing support for its elimination.
Article Summaries:
- On the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, UN agencies-including UNFPA, UNICEF, UN Human Rights, UN Women, WHO, and UNESCO-issued a joint statement urging sustained investment to end FGM. They highlighted that in 2026 an estimated 4.5 million girls, many under five, remain at risk, while over 230 million women live with its lifelong consequences. The statement noted progress over three decades, with a recent acceleration that cut the prevalence from one in two to one in three girls, yet warned that declining funding and rising opposition threaten to reverse gains. The UN called for community‑led prevention, survivor support, and a ten‑fold return on every dollar invested.
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