Worldwide, girls continue to be affected by female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child marriage, two distinct but closely connected harms that shape their health, their choices, and their futures. These issues are often addressed in isolation, even though they are driven by many of the same inequalities and gaps in protection.
Our growing coalition takes a new, intersectional approach by bringing these issues together to strengthen solutions that can work across both. Through awareness, prevention, and legal advocacy, among partners, professionals, and community members in Hawaiʻi, we are working to build stronger protections for girls and ensure that laws and policies truly safeguard their rights.
The Hawai’i Coalition to End Harmful Practices is comprised of local survivor activists, government representatives, and supported by the civil society organisations Equality Now, US End FGM/C Network, Sahiyo, and Unchained At Last.
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to female genital organs for non-medical reasons. Child marriage occurs when a person under 18 is married or placed in a formal or informal union.
Both are recognised globally as profound manifestations of gender inequality and forms of gender-based violence, yet they continue to affect girls across the United States, and girls in Hawaiʻi remain vulnerable without strong, comprehensive protections in place.
FGM/C and child marriage disproportionately affect girls across cultures, communities, and borders. Girls are more likely to be subjected to them when they have less access to education, healthcare, and legal protection, and where harmful gender norms go unchallenged.
FGM/C is deeply rooted in gender inequality and discriminatory social norms that are present in nearly all cultures, religions, and communities across the world.
In Hawai’i, more than 300 individuals are estimated to have undergone FGM/C, and roughly 1,041 girls continue to be at risk. Most people who undergo FGM/C are minors, and the physical health and emotional impacts can be severe and life-long. Collective advocacy is required to encourage reporting and solidify protections for women and girls statewide.
Between 2000 and 2021, 86% of all marriages in the US where at least one party was under the age of 18 were girls married to adult males. In Hawai’i, under current law, girls can marry at 15 years old. Marrying early can drastically alter the course of one’s life and have negative ramifications on health, education, and economic opportunities. In the long term, child brides earn less, face greater economic insecurity, and are more likely to live in poverty than their peers who marry as adults.
Strong, comprehensive laws are some of the most powerful tools for preventing and addressing FGM/C and child marriage. Legal protections can help stop harm before it happens, hold offenders accountable, and give survivors pathways to safety and justice.
In the United States, federal law prohibits FGM/C, but state laws vary widely. Some states provide clear protections and safeguards, while others leave gaps that can put girls at risk.
Across the U.S., 41 states and the District of Columbia have laws that prohibit FGM/C, while only 16 states have bans on child marriage and prohibit minors under the age of 18 from marrying.
Both are prohibited under international law, yet remain unaddressed by legislation in Hawaiʻi, but there is hope that could change.
House Bill 2448 was introduced in 2026 and is expected to be voted on soon. If enacted, the new law will clearly define FGM/C as child abuse and make it a Class B felony. The bill also gives survivors the right to seek civil remedies. Only medically necessary procedures would be permitted, and cultural or religious traditions would not be accepted as a justification for allowing FGM/C to continue.
Sign on to support Senate Bill 2725 to protect survivors and those at risk of FGM/C in the state of Hawai’i
If someone is at risk or has already experienced FGM/C or child marriage, safety comes first. Support should be survivor-centred, confidential, and nonjudgmental.
Healthcare providers, educators, social workers, and legal professionals can play a critical role by recognising warning signs, responding appropriately, and connecting individuals to services. Survivors should never be blamed or isolated. Protection means ensuring access to care, legal support, and trusted resources, and making sure systems respond with dignity and respect.
Local hotlines can be found at the bottom of this page.
Because change doesn’t happen in isolation, it happens when people decide they will no longer accept harm as inevitable.
This movement is about bringing together voices from law, health, education, and community leadership to create real protection for girls. It’s about shifting what is tolerated, what is ignored, and what is possible. By joining, you become part of a growing effort to ensure that girls’ rights are recognised in principle AND protected in practice.
Today, take a moment to help build safer societies, safer communities, and a safer world.
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