February 6th, designated by the United Nations as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, is more than just a symbolic date on the human rights calendar. It is a moment of reflection that exposes the gap between political commitments and the reality experienced by millions of women and girls, especially in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

FGM remains one of the most persistent and silent violations of contemporary human rights. Practiced for cultural, social, or religious reasons – despite having no medical basis – it continues to be imposed on children and adolescents, often before the age of five, leaving physical, psychological, and social scars that last a lifetime.

This Day was proclaimed in Resolution 67/146The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Disaster Risk Reduction (CITES) on December 20, 2012, with the aim of strengthening global action and accelerating the elimination of this practice. Almost a decade and a half later, the data reveal significant but insufficient progress.

The UN itself acknowledges that, at the current pace, the world is far from meeting the goal of eradication by 2030, as foreseen in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is in this context that the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, made a clear and unequivocal appeal:

“On this International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, let us renew our commitment to protecting the rights of women and girls around the world and ensuring that they can live free from violence and fear.”

"Together, we can put an end to this injustice once and for all.".

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Female Genital Mutilation cannot be understood merely as an isolated traditional or cultural practice. It is a systematic violation of human rights that directly affects the right to physical integrity, health, dignity, and self-determination of millions of women and girls.

By involving the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injuries inflicted for non-medical reasons, the practice leaves permanent marks on the bodies and lives of the victims. From a clinical point of view, the impacts are vast and often underestimated. Immediate consequences include extreme pain, severe bleeding, shock, serious infections, and, in not infrequent cases, death.

In contexts where procedures are performed without any type of anesthesia and in environments lacking minimum hygiene conditions, the risks multiply. In the medium and long term, victims face chronic gynecological complications, infertility, recurrent urinary tract infections, difficulties during menstruation, serious obstetric complications, and increased maternal and neonatal mortality.

Beyond the physical dimension, FGM has profound effects on mental health. Many survivors develop anxiety disorders, depression, stress. Post-traumatic stress and difficulties in interpersonal and marital relationships.

The trauma is compounded by the fact that the practice is often imposed by close family members at a very young age, compromising trust and security within the family and community. The World Health Organization emphasizes that FGM offers no health benefits and is a harmful practice in all its forms.

Nevertheless, it continues to be perpetuated in the name of rigid social norms, control of female sexuality, and profoundly unequal conceptions of gender, which place women's bodies under collective surveillance.

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Although Female Genital Mutilation also occurs in communities in Asia, the Middle East, and in diasporas spread across Europe and the Americas, it is on the African continent that the practice has the greatest demographic and social expression.

In several African countries, FGM remains deeply rooted in community structures, being passed down from generation to generation as a requirement for social acceptance, family honor, or a condition for marriage. In many contexts, the practice is associated with rites of passage into adulthood, being presented as an identity and cultural milestone.

However, behind this narrative, there is often a system of social coercion that leaves families with little room for choice. Even parents aware of the risks end up subjecting their daughters to mutilation for fear of social exclusion, stigmatization, or marital rejection.

The latest United Nations data indicates that Africa accounts for the majority of the more than 230 million women and girls who have undergone FGM. Countries in West Africa, East Africa, and the Horn of Africa have some of the highest rates in the world, although with significant variations between regions and communities.

Nevertheless, the continent has also witnessed significant progress. In several African countries, the prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation among younger generations is decreasing, a result of awareness campaigns, stronger legislation, and direct involvement of local communities.

In some contexts, traditional and religious leaders have played a decisive role in publicly questioning the practice and promoting alternative rituals that preserve symbolic value without resorting to physical violence. Despite this progress, the UN warns that the rate of decline is insufficient.

For the eradication goal to be achieved by 2030, the reduction in prevalence would have to be 27 times faster than currently observed. This data reveals the scale of the challenge and the need for a much more ambitious response.

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One of the strongest arguments presented by the United Nations in the fight against Female Genital Mutilation concerns the economic impact of the practice. Beyond the incalculable human suffering, FGM represents a significant burden on health systems, especially in countries with limited resources.

Treating complications associated with FGM – including high-risk deliveries, corrective surgeries, chronic infections, and psychological support – costs healthcare systems approximately $1,4 billion annually, according to international estimates. This figure is expected to increase as the population grows and more survivors require specialized care throughout their lives.

In contrast, studies show that investing in prevention is highly profitable. The United Nations estimates that every dollar invested in eradicating FGM generates a social return of about $10, by reducing healthcare costs, improving education and productivity indicators, and promoting greater gender equality.

The numbers are clear: a global investment of approximately $2,8 billion could prevent 20 million cases of FGM, generating economic and social benefits valued at nearly $28 billion.

Despite this, funding for prevention programs remains far below what is needed, often dependent on short cycles of international support and vulnerable to political changes.

The UN warns that the lack of sustained funding jeopardizes the progress achieved in recent decades. Without stable resources, community programs are interrupted, professionals cease to be trained, and essential data stop being collected, creating conditions for the resurgence of the practice.

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Since 2008, the global fight against Female Genital Mutilation has been led by the Joint UNFPA–UNICEF Programme, the largest and longest-running international initiative dedicated to eliminating the practice. The programme operates in dozens of countries, working closely with national governments, civil society organisations, community leaders and international partners.

The approach adopted is based on strategies grounded in scientific evidence and long-term social transformation. Key lines of action include community education, strengthening health systems, economic empowerment of women and girls, training of health professionals, and integrating FGM prevention into broader public policies.

The UN has repeatedly stressed that the eradication of FGM cannot be treated as an isolated issue. It is necessary to integrate FGM prevention into education, sexual and reproductive health, child protection, and economic development programs.

This integrated approach allows us to address the structural causes of the practice, such as poverty, gender inequality, and lack of access to education. In parallel, the UN General Assembly has adopted regular resolutions that reinforce international political commitment and call on States to adopt effective legislation, enforce existing laws, and protect girls at risk.

The Survivors

One of the most significant advances in recent campaigns against Female Genital Mutilation has been the centrality given to survivors. For decades, these women were silenced or reduced to statistics. Today, they are increasingly recognized as key agents of change.

Survivors possess a unique moral authority and legitimacy to challenge the practice. By sharing their stories, they help break the silence, reduce stigma, and expose the real consequences of FGM, often hidden behind culturalist discourses.

In several African communities, survivor testimonies have led entire families to reconsider ancestral practices. These personal narratives reveal that change is possible when information is combined with empathy and community dialogue.

The UN emphasizes that without placing survivors at the center of the response – not just as beneficiaries, but as leaders – it will be impossible to sustainably eradicate FGM. Programs that promote the active involvement of these women have demonstrated greater impact and social acceptance.

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The 2026 theme, “Towards 2030: There will be no end to FGM without sustainable commitment and investment,” reflects a growing concern about the fragility of the progress achieved. This theme calls for a concerted effort that includes political leadership, robust systems, financial resources, community action, evidence and data, as well as platforms that include and act on the voices of girls and survivors.

The decline in resources undermines protection efforts and jeopardizes the progress made in recent decades. Local organizations led by women and young people face increasing uncertainty regarding funding, despite their central role in changing social and gender norms and providing essential services and support to girls.

Progress is challenged by growing resistance to gender equality and children's rights. Armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, forced displacement, and economic instability create contexts where girls become even more vulnerable to this practice.

In emergency situations, protective mechanisms weaken, schools close, health services collapse, and traditional norms tend to reinforce themselves as a form of social control, allowing FGM to resurface with greater intensity.

The eradication of FGM requires a long-term vision, sustained political commitment, and consistent investment. It also demands the courage to confront harmful practices, even when defended as tradition or cultural identity. As António Guterres emphasized, the elimination of FGM is not just a matter of public policy, but of collective will.

The time for empty promises is over. The challenge now is to transform commitments into concrete action, before another generation of girls is marked by a practice that the world has already recognized as unjustifiable.