There is no justification for female genital mutilation (FGM); not cultural, not religious, not traditional. Yet, millions of girls still wake up to the horror of being cut often by the very hands meant to protect them. This is not just a violation; it is an assault on the most fundamental rights of women and girls. It is a wound that never fully heals.
The statistics are staggering. Over 230 million women and girls worldwide are survivours of FGM. And if that isn’t horrifying enough, another 27 million girls are at risk in the next five years. The numbers scream for action, but numbers do not tell the full story. They do not capture the cries of little girls held down against their will, the infections that fester in silence, or the lifelong trauma that follows them like a shadow.
For centuries, FGM has been justified under the guise of culture. It is wrapped in layers of misguided beliefs that it preserves a girl’s purity, that it makes her more marriageable, that it is a rite of passage. But let’s be clear: FGM is not culture. It is not a practice to be honored or respected. It is violence. It is control. It is oppression masked as tradition.
What is most disturbing is that in many communities, it is women who carry out these acts. Mothers, grandmothers, aunts, the very people who should be shielding girls from harm become enforcers of this cruelty. But can we blame them? They, too, were victims once. They, too, were led to believe that this was their fate, that there was no alternative
Change will not come from silence. It requires a radical shift in mindset, in laws, and in community structures. It is time to start stepping up the pace: Strengthening alliances and building movements to end FGM.
It is no longer enough to simply condemn the practice. We need to dismantle the structures that allow it to persist. This means stronger laws, stricter enforcement, and community-driven education to challenge the deep-seated beliefs that fuel this atrocity. It means ensuring survivors receive medical care, psychological support, and economic opportunities so they are not trapped in cycles of dependency.
Ending FGM is not just a women’s issue. It is a human rights issue. It requires men to stand up and reject the notion that a woman’s worth is tied to her mutilation. It demands that governments move beyond lip service and enforce bans that carry real consequences. It calls on the international community to invest in grassroots efforts that empower local activists to challenge harmful traditions from within.
Inaction is complicity. Every time we choose silence, another girl is cut. Every time we fail to challenge harmful narratives, another girl’s future is stolen. The pace of change must increase—27-fold—if we are to meet the goal of eliminating FGM by 2030.
On February 6, 2025, the world is called to step up. To amplify our voices. To strengthen our alliances. To declare, once and for all, that no girl should ever have to endure this violation of her body, her dignity, her future.
It is not enough to hope for change—we must create i. Support survivors. Challenge the norms. And most importantly, refuse to be silent. Because silence, in this battle, is complicity. And complicity is a choice we can no longer afford.
LET’S UNITE TO END FGM
