Today over 200 million girls and women worldwide are impacted by Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) or cutting.
FGM is the harmful practice of removing, cutting or injuring female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
The practice has no benefits and only harms women and girls.
All forms of FGM are rooted in deep gender inequalities and practices are recognised internationally as violations on the human rights of girls and women.
FGM is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and adolescence and in the 31 countries where FGM is practiced in Africa, and some countries in the Middle East and Asia, an estimated 4 million girls are at risk each year. (UN Global Goals, 2025)
Why does FGM happen?
FGM happens for several socio-cultural reasons and its prevalence is largely linked to social pressure and perceptions or expectations of women which are harmful and misogynistic.
The fear of exclusion, shame and social pressures to conform are strong motivators to keep the harmful practice alive.
Marriage and sexuality are also major aspects to FGM and are seen as the necessary part of raising a girl and to prepare her for adulthood and marriage. The practice is seen as a way of control and to promote premarital virginity and marital fidelity.
Some people also believe that the practice has religious support, although no religious texts advocate for the practice.
The lives of girls are placed into jeopardy because they are not treated or seen as equals.
If the world’s communities are to eradicate these terrible practices by 2030 – it takes collective advocacy, empowerment of women and girls and building allyship and solidarity with men.
Thanks to your support we can do just that & pushback to #StopFGM.
This year we are supporting a project in Kenya which aims to tackle this horrendous practice head on.
The Loyola Centre for Media & Communications (LCMC) based in Samburu County in Northern Kenya has launched a youth advocacy platform to empower vulnerable children, young people, and their communities in the region to address pressing social issues, including FGM.
Targeting 300 children aged 12-17 and 100 parents, the project will transform and empower young people to make a positive impact in their communities!
The project addresses major challenges in Samburu County, including high rates of FGM, child rights violations, and the limited access to education.
A baseline survey conducted by LCMC in 2019 revealed that FGM remains a deeply rooted cultural practice, perpetuating gender inequality, physical harm, and emotional trauma among young girls.
The survey further highlighted a lack of awareness among children, parents, and community leaders about the consequences of FGM and the need for advocacy and rights education.
Key activities of the project:
- Conducting workshops on the dangers of FGM, focusing on advocacy and rights education for children and parents.
- Using performance arts, including plays and docudramas (documentary dramas), to highlight the impact of FGM and promote alternative rites of passage.
- Producing educational resource materials, including videos and docudramas, to promote child rights and social justice.
- Organizing summit competitions to showcase children’s creativity and activism.
- Training parents and community leaders for buy-in and long-term support.
This project is about people powered advocacy & making positive influence which will have lasting impact.
Together we can put an end to FGM & stand in solidarity with girls and women everywhere.
