Purpose: The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is observed on 6 February, to promote the elimination of female genital mutilation, coordinated and systematic efforts are needed, and they must engage whole communities and focus on human rights, gender equality, sexual education and attention to the needs of women and girls who suffer from its consequences. In 2008, the World Health Assembly passed resolution WHA61.16 on the elimination of FGM, emphasizing the need for concerted action in all sectors - health, education, finance, justice and women's affairs.
FORUM: "Stepping up the pace: Strengthening alliances and building movements to end female genital mutilation.'' International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2025. Data from about a third of the countries where the practice is still common have indicated a decline over the last three decades, with one out of three girls undergoing the practice compared to one out of two girls previously. While steps in the right direction have been taken, in 2025 alone, nearly 4.4 million girls are projected to be at risk. Positive results would need to be stepped up drastically to meet the target of ending the practice by 2030. On this important day, we urge people from every corner of the globe to unite in amplifying the message of “Stepping up the Pace.” For more than a decade, the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme has supported survivors and prioritized investments in survivor-led initiatives. There are now more than 200 million survivors. Share your efforts and stories by tagging #Unite2EndFGM from across social media platforms and affirming the commitments. It is only through concerted efforts that we can make lasting change so that no girl has to live with fear or endure the harmful consequences of FGM. So, let’s Unite to End FGM. Every voice counts! Follow the conversation with the hashtags:#steppingupthepace, #6February, #EndFGM.
EVENTS: On February 6th at 14:00 CET, the WHO will participate in a global advocacy webinar for International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2025 entitled "Stepping Up the Pace: Strengthening Alliances and Building Movements to End FGM''. The advocacy event hosted by the UNFPA – UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation. The observance of the day provides an opportunity to highlight progress and raise awareness to end this harmful practice. From community leaders to health workers and family members, everyone has a role to play. This year, with the theme Step up the Pace, there is a focus on strengthening alliances and building movements to end FGM. With only 5 years to the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, our efforts must be faster and bolder. We must step up the pace 27 times to achieve SDG 5.3 on ending FGM. Keeping this urgency in mind. Register to participate!
Key messages
● Female genital mutilation violates the fundamental rights of girls, including the right to health, life, physical and mental integrity and freedom from torture.
● By strengthening alliances among grassroots activists, communities, governments, organizations and the private sector, we can build a powerful social movement that ends harmful norms, which promote the continuation of the practice.
● Every public declaration, every conversation, and every investment brings us closer to a world free from female genital mutilation, ensuring a safer and brighter future for girls.
Call to action
● Increase investment to ensure no girl is at risk of female genital mutilation: Governments, donors, and the private sector must step up financial investments to scale up of effective interventions.
● Strengthen social movements to eliminate female genital mutilation through partnerships: Expand social movements led by girls, women, survivors, youth, boys and men through strategic coalitions that amplify action to eliminate female genital mutilation.
● Centre the voices and stories of survivors: Place survivors at the heart of advocacy, policymaking, and implementation efforts. Their voices are essential to driving change.
● Advocate for accountability: Ensure countries uphold their commitment to international, regional and national human rights through regular reporting of progress in implementation of policies, strategies and interventions that protect girls at risk and provide necessary care including justice for survivors.
● Engage everyone: Ending female genital mutilation requires the collective efforts of girls, women, survivors, men, boys, youth, traditional and religious leaders, communities, governments, private sector and donors as key allies.
STATEMENTS: Read the Statement of the United Nations Secretary-General on International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2025; February 6th and the UNFPA, UNICEF, World Health Organization (WHO) Joint Statement on International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2025.
PODCASTS : This year, nearly 4.4 million girls – more than 12,000 a day – are at risk around the world. Unless efforts to end this practice intensify, the number of girls at risk is projected to rise to 4.6 million in 2030. An estimated $2.75 billion is needed to end the practice by 2030 in 31 priority countries. Female genital mutilation limits opportunities for women and girls around the world to exercise their rights and realize their full potential. The WHO have launched a training manual on person-centered communication (PCC), a counselling approach that encourages health care providers to challenge their FGM-related attitudes and build their communication skills to effectively provide FGM prevention counselling. Listen to the audio-podcasts!
Campaign Materials: Female genital mutilation, which involves the altering or injuring of female genitalia for no medical reason, can cause health complications including severe infection, chronic pain, depression, infertility and death. Internationally recognized as a human rights violation, it has been practiced by societies across the ages. Join the 2025 online campaign "Stepping up the pace: Strengthening alliances and building movements to end female genital mutilation.''on social media. Get the campaign package here.
WHY WE CELEBRATE IT?
According to available data from 30 countries where FGM is practiced in the Western, Eastern, and North-Eastern regions of Africa, and some countries in the Middle East and Asia, more than 200 million girls and women alive today have been subjected to the practice with more than 3 million girls estimated to be at risk of FGM annually. FGM is therefore of global concern.
ACTIONS
To promote the abandonment of FGM, coordinated and systematic efforts are needed, and they must engage whole communities and focus on human rights and gender equality. They must also address the sexual and reproductive health needs of women and girls who suffer from its consequences. We can no longer wait, we must UNITE, FUND and ACT to end female genital mutilation.
PARTNERS
Building on work from previous decades, in 1997, the World Health Oganization (WHO) issued a joint statement against the practice of FGM together with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Make a donation.
Ensure that girls and women living with FGM receive quality medical care and counselling, as well to develop evidence and advocacy tools to support efforts to prevent FGM