Joint statement by the UNFPA Executive Director, UNICEF Executive Director, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Women Executive Director, WHO Director-General, and UNESCO Director-General on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation

In 2026 alone, an estimated 4.5 million girls – many under the age of five – are at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM). Currently, more than 230 million girls and women are living with its lifelong consequences.

Today, on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, we reaffirm our commitment to end female genital mutilation for every girl and every woman at risk, and to continue working to ensure those subjected to this harmful practice have access to quality and appropriate services.

Female genital mutilation is a violation of human rights and cannot be justified on any grounds. It compromises girls’ and women’s physical and mental health and can lead to serious, lifelong complications, with treatment costs estimated at about US$ 1.4 billion every year.

Read more at: https://www.who.int/news/item/05-02-2026-over-four-million-girls-still-at-risk-of-female-genital-mutilation–un-leaders-call-for-sustained-commitment-and-investment-to-end-fgm