The world marks International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation

Female genital mutilation (FGM) involves the injury of female genitalia for non-medical reasons and has severe short-term and lifelong consequences for physical, sexual, and mental health, affecting survivors from childhood through their reproductive years and into old age, World Vision Kenya said on Friday, as it marked the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has similarly warned that FGM violates universal human rights to life, health, and bodily integrity, leaving lasting harm to more than 230 million women and girls worldwide.

"On this International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, let us renew our promise to protect the rights of women and girls everywhere and ensure that they can live free from violence and fear. Together, we can end this injustice once and for all," Guterres said on his official X account. 

Despite progress driven by community-based initiatives and interventions by various agencies across Africa, the United Nations says efforts must be scaled up dramatically to meet the 2030 eradication target, noting that the pace of action would need to increase by at least 27 times to fully eliminate FGM.