At least 66% of recent cases were performed by healthcare professionals, in an attempt to legitimise the practice. (David Harrison)
A new report has found that female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is more widespread than previously recognised, affecting communities in at least 94 countries.
The findings suggest that millions more women and girls are at risk of the practice, as governments in several nations remain reluctant to acknowledge or address the issue.
The report, published by the End FGM European Network, Equality Now and The US Network to End FGM/C this week, highlights how female genital mutilation/cutting is not confined to traditionally recognised regions but is also present in countries such as Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
“Mounting evidence clearly shows that FGM/C is a worldwide issue demanding a coordinated global response,” Divya Srinivasan of Equality Now said on Tuesday.
“To end FGM/C, governments, international bodies and donors must acknowledge the extent of the problem, strengthen their political commitments and prioritise funding, especially in overlooked regions and communities.”
In 2020, the UN Children’s Fund (Unicef) estimated that 200 million women and girls had undergone female genital mutilation/cutting in 31 countries. In 2024, the figure was updated to over 230 million, with 80 million cases in Asia and 6 million in the Middle East.
The increase is attributed to newly available data and rapid population growth in affected regions.
Despite this, comprehensive prevalence data exists for only 31 countries, allowing many governments to sidestep responsibility. In particular, governments in Panama, Mexico and Peru are suspected of ignoring the practice within indigenous groups.
“Access to accurate, up-to-date data is crucial for understanding the full scale of FGM/C and for developing and assessing laws and policies that ensure no one is left behind,” said Tania Hosseinian of the End FGM European Network.
“Data-driven strategies must guide our actions, empowering grassroots organisations, youth movements and survivors to lead the way.”
Legal and financial barriers
Genital mutilation/cutting is a serious human rights violation involving the partial or complete removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons.
It has no health benefits and can result in lifelong complications, including chronic pain, infections, psychological trauma, infertility and increased maternal mortality rates.
Despite this, only 58 out of 94 affected countries have specific laws criminalising the practice. Some governments not only fail to recognise the issue but also undermine efforts to address it.
Activists report that some officials openly discredit the work of survivors and grassroots organisations, making it harder to implement meaningful change.
In recent years, international human rights bodies have urged India, Jordan, Kuwait, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates to take greater action against genital mutilation.
Countries including Sudan, Indonesia, Finland, Poland and the US have introduced or strengthened laws banning the practice.
While funding for anti-FGM/C efforts remains low worldwide, Africa receives the majority of international resources. Advocacy groups warn that efforts in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East are severely underfunded, exacerbating the problem in those regions.
The rise of ‘medicalised’ FGM/C
Another challenge to eradication efforts is the growing trend of medicalised FGM/C, where healthcare professionals perform the procedure under the false belief that it makes it safer.
A 2024 Unicef report found that 66% of recent cases in countries such as Egypt, Indonesia and Kenya were carried out by medical personnel.
Medicalised female genital mutilation is also openly promoted in Russia, where clinics advertise the procedure. Rights organisations have raised concerns that the legitimisation of such practices can normalise, rather than eliminate, it.
Legal challenges against anti-FGM/C laws are also emerging.
In Kenya and The Gambia, attempts to overturn existing protections have ignited fierce opposition from women’s rights activists and legal experts.
“We are witnessing a backlash against women’s rights that threatens to undo decades of progress,” said Equality Now.
Moreover, practices that are not yet legally defined as mutilation, such as the so-called “husband stitch” — a practice where extra stitches are added to tighten the vaginal opening after childbirth — are increasingly coming under scrutiny.
Recent studies suggest this practice occurs in Europe, Japan and the US, with survivors comparing its effects to FGM/C.
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 5.3 aims to eliminate FGM/C by 2030.
“Millions of individuals around the world live with the lifelong consequences of FGM/C. Their courage in sharing their stories has brought global attention to this harmful practice and strengthened the movement to end it,” said Caitlin LeMay of the US End FGM/C Network.
“Survivors, wherever they live, must have access to adequate, affordable and quality services that ensure their voices remain central to the fight against FGM/C.”
