The United Nation bodies have said only united, concerted and well-funded action can end this Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) which is a human rights violation.
In a joint statement by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) released to mark the 2021 International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore and UNFPA Executive Director, Dr. Natalia Kanem said, two million additional cases of FGM may occur over the next decade due to COVID-19 obstruction.
“Even before COVID-19 upended progress, the Sustainable Development Goals target of ending female genital mutilation by 2030 was an ambitious commitment.
“Far from dampening our ambition, however, the pandemic has sharpened our resolve to protect the four million girls and women who are at risk of FGM.”
They stressed that to end FGM, it would require collaboration among a wide group of stakeholders which includes global, regional, national and local policy makers, civil society from small grass roots organizations and women’s rights groups to international Non-governmental organisations, agents of change from teachers and health workers to religious leaders and local elders, as well as law enforcement and judicial officials.
“Men and boys also have a crucial role to play. Tgether, let us also amplify the powerful and persuasive voices of survivors who are increasingly leading transformative change in their communities.
“We must fund our efforts at a level equal to our commitment even in countries where FGM is already declining, progress needs to increase 10 fold to meet the global target of elimination by 2030.”
