Violence against women and girls remains one of the most urgent human rights challenges of our time. Among its most severe forms is Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) a harmful practice that violates the bodily integrity, health, and dignity of millions of girls and women worldwide.
According to a 2025 UNICEF report, FGM continues to affect communities across regions and generations. More than 144 million girls and women in Africa have undergone FGM, making it the region with the highest prevalence globally. In Asia, over 80 million are affected, while an estimated 6 million live with the consequences of FGM in the Middle East. In addition, 1–2 million girls and women are affected within migrant and diaspora communities in countries where the practice is not traditionally rooted.
These figures underscore a stark reality: despite growing legal and policy commitments, FGM persists. Ending the practice requires more than laws alone it demands confronting the deeply entrenched social, cultural, and social norms that allow it to continue.
Faith to Action Network’s Position
Faith to Action Network is committed to eliminating harmful practices such as Female Genital Mutilation a practice that has no basis in faith and no place in societies committed to human dignity, health, and justice.
As a global interfaith network, the Network affirms that faith can and must be a force for protection, healing, and transformation, not harm. We reject all interpretations of religious teachings that are used to justify violence against women and girls.
Through our Family Health and Wellbeing thematic area, particularly within our Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) programming, Faith to Action Network works alongside faith actors and community actors to dismantle harmful norms and advance the rights of women and girls.
Faith Leadership in Action: The Right By Her Campaign
Faith to Action Network’s commitment to ending FGM is reflected in initiatives such as the ongoing Right By Her project. These efforts recognize the unique moral authority and community reach of religious leaders, positioning them as agents of change in addressing harmful practices.
Through these initiatives, faith leaders supported by F2AN are working with communities to:
- Raise awareness about the health, psychological, and social consequences of FGM
- Challenge harmful traditions through faith-informed dialogue and community engagement
- Promote protective environments for girls and women at risk
- Support survivors with care, dignity, and spiritual accompaniment
Marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM
Each year on 6 February, the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation serves as a global call to action to accelerate efforts to end FGM and to reaffirm the rights of girls and women everywhere.
On this day, Faith to Action Network stands in solidarity with survivors, advocates, faith leaders, and communities working to end FGM. We use this moment to amplify faith-based leadership, reinforce rights-affirming narratives, and renew our collective commitment to protecting girls and women from harm.
Toward a World Free from FGM
Faith to Action Network believes that sustainable change happens when communities are supported to reflect, question harmful norms, and reimagine traditions in ways that uphold life, dignity, and wellbeing.
On the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, Faith to Action Network reaffirms its commitment to a future where faith protects rather than harms, where girls grow up free from violence, and where women’s rights are fully respected.
