Female genital mutilation (FGM) affects at least 230 million women and girls globally, a number that has risen sharply in recent years due to population growth and improved data collection across Asia, the Middle East, and diaspora communities worldwide.
FGM is a serious violation of several human rights, including the rights to health, security, and bodily autonomy. It is rooted in patriarchal norms and carried out for non-medical reasons, often under the guise of tradition, religion, or social acceptance. Far from being confined to one region, it is practiced in at least 94 countries across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania.
FGM is condemned under numerous international and regional human rights instruments, including:
These frameworks affirm that states have a legal and moral duty to prohibit FGM and provide survivor-centered support services.
While growing global awareness has led to some legislative progress, significant gaps remain:
Countries like Sudan, Indonesia, and the U.S. have passed new laws since 2020, but others, such as The Gambia, have faced attempts to repeal protections, demonstrating the fragility of progress.
Equality Now is working at multiple levels to combat FGM through a rights-based, survivor-centered, and globally coordinated strategy:
Equality Now also works to strengthen data collection, recognizing that reliable data is key to effective policy and funding decisions.