Globally, More than 230 million girls and women alive today have been subjected to female genital mutilation.
UNICEF 2026
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is the partial or total removal of external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs, for non-medical reasons.
Updated global estimates show a 15 per cent increase in the total number of FGM survivors. This means there are currently 30 million more girls and women compared to data released eight years ago.
The report shows that the largest numbers are in Africa, accounting for 144 million, followed by 80 million in Asia and 6 million in the Middle East, with more estimated in small practicing communities and countries elsewhere in the world.
February 6 is International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). A day to remember the pain, loss, and lifelong impact of this harmful practice of FGM, and to renew our collective commitment to end it.
Today, we raise our voices to highlight the suffering, scars, and struggles of girls and women affected by FGM.
Types of Female Genital Mutilation
The World Health Organization classifies Female Genital Mutilation into four main types:
- Type I: Clitoridectomy, involves the partial or total removal of the clitoris.
- Type II: known as excision, involves the removal of the clitoris and part or all of the labia minora.
- Type III: Infibulation is the most severe form and involves narrowing the vaginal opening through the creation of a seal.
- Type IV: includes all other harmful procedures carried out for non-medical reasons, such as pricking, piercing, scraping, or cauterization.
All forms of FGM are harmful and violate the rights and bodily integrity of girls and women. The analysis also shows that 4 in 10 FGM survivors live in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
UNICEF (2024) reports that Nigeria has the third highest burden of FGM globally and accounts for 10 per cent of the 200 million women and girls who are survivors of FGM worldwide, estimated at nearly 20 million.
Despite critical progress being made in eliminating FGM and a significant decrease in the national prevalence among women and girls aged 15–49, the latest estimates show that progress needs to be at least 10 times faster to meet the global target of FGM elimination by 2030.
FGM in crisis settings is not only a cultural issue; it is a protection and safeguarding concern.
Girls living in humanitarian contexts already face heightened risks of child marriage, sexual violence, trafficking, and exploitation. FGM compounds these vulnerabilities by causing long-term physical, psychological, and social harm that can affect education, mental health, and future relationships.
Despite this, FGM is often missing from humanitarian response plans. While agencies address food, shelter, and basic health needs, harmful practices like FGM are rarely prioritized or funded. When FGM is treated as a “private” or “cultural” matter, it falls outside the scope of emergency protection programming.
Plan International discovered in their work in Mali that the daughters of displaced families from the North (where FGM is not traditionally practiced), but who are living amongst host communities in the South (where FGM is common), were being ostracized due to not being circumcised. This, in turn, led to families from the North feeling pressure to perform FGM on their daughters.
I have six daughters. They were mutilated because of this conflict. We now live in overcrowded camps, surrounded by many needs. Most days, we have only one meal, and sometimes none at all. I fear that my daughters may be sexually exploited because of hunger and poverty. – Ture
We fled from our community and lost everything. In our situation, this practice is believed to keep our girls safe, build trust between parents and their daughters, and protect them. FGM has been part of our culture for many decades. However, the forced displacement made us rush the process.”
According to the END FGM EU Network (policy briefing on FGM in Humanitarian Context, 2018), FGM is often not a priority for donors and policymakers, including those responsible for programming and humanitarian workers involved in fragile contexts.
Ending FGM in humanitarian settings requires a shift in approach. Prevention must be integrated into GBV, child protection, and community engagement interventions. We must join hands to protect our girls and women from the physical and emotional consequences of FGM.
A few months ago, Miss World Somalia 2025, Zainab Jama, used the global beauty stage to share her experience as a survivor of FGM. She turned her Beauty with a Purpose project into a powerful platform for advocacy, education, and community outreach, with the goal of helping to end FGM and supporting survivors.
Legal and Human Rights Perspective
FGM is internationally recognized as a violation of human rights and is illegal in many countries, including Nigeria. It violates the rights of girls and women to health, security, bodily integrity, and freedom from torture and degrading treatment. Ending FGM is also a key target under Sustainable Development Goal 5.3, which calls for the elimination of all harmful practices against women and girls.
On this International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, SHEROES Rising Nigeria encourages everyone to stand together, united in our resolve to end Female Genital Mutilation.
Every girl deserves to grow up free from harm, with her rights and dignity intact. Together, we can break the chains of tradition and ensure a future where no girl is subjected to this harmful practice.
Ajijir Martin
Nkeiruka Onyeukwu
Abuja, Nigeria.
