The UN General Assembly designated 6 February as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation in 2012., with the aim to amplify and direct the efforts on the elimination of this practice. Female genital mutilation continues to persist amongst immigrant populations living in Western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.

FORUM: " No Time for Global Inaction: Unite, Fund, and Act to End Female Genital Mutilation," International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation 2021.

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. This year the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation and the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices (IAC) jointly launch the 2021 theme: "No Time for Global Inaction, Unite, Fund, and Act to End Female Genital Mutilation." Many countries are experiencing a “crisis within a crisis” due to the pandemic including an increase in female genital mutilation. That is why the United Nations call on the global community to reimagine a world that enables girls and women to have voice, choice, and control over their own lives.

CAMPAIGN: Be part of the online conversation and participate on social media using our official material. Share with the world how you #Act2EndFGM!

Statement by the United Nations Secretary-General on International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation 2020, February 6th.

Over 200 million girls and women alive today have suffered from female genital mutilation, a horrific and harmful practice that can lead to physical, mental and sexual health complications. This year, more than 4 million girls are at risk.

Female genital mutilation is a blatant manifestation of gender inequality that is deeply entrenched in social, economic and political structures. It is also a human rights violation and an extreme form of violence against girls. Fortunately, between 2000 and 2018, the prevalence of this practice has decreased by 25 per cent.

Together, we can eliminate female genital mutilation by 2030. Doing so will have a positive ripple effect on the health, education and economic advancement of girls and women.

As the United Nations embarks on a Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals, let’s make this the decade of zero female genital mutilation.

António Guterres; U.N. Secretary-General.

Statement by the United Nations General Assembly on international Day of Zero tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation 2021, February 6.

In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the first ever resolution against female genital mutilation (FGM); a practice which leads to health complications including chronic pain, infection, increased risk of HIV transmission, anxiety, depression, birth complications, infertility, and in some cases, death.

Let me be clear: FGM has no place in society. It is internationally recognized as an extreme violation of the rights of women and girls. ICPD25, the Beijing Declaration and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development have set forth a transformative global agenda that prioritizes the human rights of girls and women, including the elimination of FGM.

Girls and women are often left behind due to social, political, and economic factors. For poor and marginalized girls, these factors intersect and increase their risk of undergoing FGM. In this Decade of Action and Delivery to implement the SDGs, I call on all Member States to take urgent steps to achieve target 5.3, ‘Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation’.

While change is happening, progress is not universal, and it is not fast enough. In countries where the practice of FGM has become less common, we were not on track to implement the SDGs even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. This global health pandemic has had a direct and lasting impact on FGM prevention services. UNFPA projects that 2 million extra girls are now at risk.

If we are to create change, women and girls need to participate in COVID-19 response decision-making at all levels. Moreover, ending FGM needs to be integrated into all COVID-19 response plans. This includes mitigating the impact on access to prevention and care services and the provision of community-based protection.

We must mobilize grassroot support to address FGM as it has been proven effective. The involvement of traditional and community leaders, as well as community service organizations and non-governmental organizations in the fight against FGM is essential.

Moreover, equitable access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities accelerates the elimination of FGM, contributes to equitable social and economic development, and ensures no girl or woman is left behind.

This is no time for global inaction. We must unite, fund, and act to #EndFGM once and for all.

Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the General Assembly.

• Joint statement by UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO and UN Women on the International Day of Zero tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation 2021, February 6th.

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