Today, the world is observing the International Day of Zero Tolerance for female genital mutilation (FGM) under the theme, “Stepping Up the Pace: Strengthening Alliances and Building Movements to End FGM.”
UNFPA and UNICEF are making a joint call to partners to step up the pace of interventions against female genital mutilation.
Ethiopia needs to accelerate the current progress on the prevention of FGM five times (UNICEF 2024) to protect against an estimated 2.5 million girls in this country who are at risk of undergoing FGM by 2030 (UNFPA 2015).
FGM is a serious violation of human rights which violates the principles of equality, bodily autonomy, and non-discrimination based on sex, the right to freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
The practice limits girls' and women's access to opportunities and resources towards the realization of the rights to basic services, including health, education, safety, and reaching their full potential.
In Ethiopia, despite being nationally recognized as a human rights violation, twenty-five million girls and women living today have already undergone FGM for several reasons.
“It is clear that we have to accelerate our efforts five times our current level in order to end FGM in Ethiopia,” noted Koffi Kouame, UNFPA Country Representative. “The UN Joint Programme on FGM in Ethiopia will continue to build a community led movement with the participation of girls, religious leaders, boys, men, and women. Supporting and re-aligning our collective strengths on these different community members will enable the formation of local champions and alliances to end FGM,” Kouame stressed.
“The fact that girls are still subjected to FGM is unacceptable. As we approach the final five years leading up to the sustainable development goal of ending FGM by 2030, it is essential to strengthen our multi-sectoral approach on advocacy and programmatic interventions at national, regional, and local levels to end FGM,” said Dr. Aboubacar Kampo, UNICEF Representative in Ethiopia.
“Community engagement remains key to ending this practice and we are proud to witness the voices of communities driving lasting change in Ethiopia, particularly through youth-led initiatives which is a testament to empowering young people to transform lives,” according to the joint program.
Ethiopia has made remarkable progress in reducing FGM prevalence among girls and women. In 2024, the Network of Ethiopian Women Association (NEWA) survey, which covered a nationally representative sample of over 36,000 households living in both rural and urban areas in twelve regions and two city administrations covering 119 zones, indicated a reduction in FGM prevalence among women aged 15-29 from 47 per cent in 2016 to 38.9 per cent in 2024. In addition, among women aged 15-50, FGM prevalence has reduced from 65 per cent in 2016 to 48.5 per cent in 2024. However, a lot remains to be done to eliminate FGM ahead of the 2030 SDG target.
The UNFPA and UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM will continue to support the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs and other partners to step up efforts to end FGM by 2030 in Ethiopia.