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Africa

Africa: Putting Survivors At the Forefront of the Global Movement to End Female Genital Mutilation

todayFebruary 7, 2024 3

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New York — Joint Statement by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, OHCHR High Commissioner Volker Türk, UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

“Today, on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, we reaffirm our dedication to the girls and women who have been subjected to this grave violation of human rights. Every survivor’s voice is a call to action, and every choice they make in reclaiming their lives contributes to the global movement to end this harmful practice.

“More than 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation. This year, nearly 4.4 million girls will be at risk of this harmful practice. This equates to more than 12,000 cases every day.

“In keeping with the commitments outlined in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, those agreed during the 25th Anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development, Generation Equality, and other normative frameworks, including The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the Child and their general recommendations, as well as Sustainable Development Goal target 5.3, we reiterate our commitment to prevent and respond to this harmful practice against women and girls.

“Female genital mutilation is a violation of women’s and girls’ rights, one that endangers their physical and mental health and limits their potential to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. It increases their risk of serious pain, bleeding and infections and the likelihood of other health complications later in life, including risks during childbirth, which can imperil the lives of their newborns.

“That is why, in our pursuit of a world free of discrimination and practices that harm girls and women, it is imperative that we turn our attention to the voices that matter most – the voices of survivors.

“We must amplify the voices of survivors to raise awareness and inspire collective action, and promote their power and autonomy by ensuring they have an active role in prevention and response interventions.

“Survivors have first-hand knowledge of the challenges they face and the tools needed to eliminate the practice. It is crucial that we invest in survivor-led movements, especially at the grassroots level, by dedicating resources that will advance their efforts.

“We also must ensure that comprehensive and culturally sensitive services are available and accessible. This includes strengthening the provision of health care and social and legal services to support survivors.