Dear John,

Today is Zero Tolerance Day, a day of action to honor the hundreds of millions of survivors of female genital mutilation (FGM) and continue making strides toward a world in which every country has laws which protect women and girls from this harmful practice and the life-long damage it causes.
 

Equality Now is at the forefront of these efforts. Over the past several months, we and our partner, Tadwein for Gender Studies, have conducted groundbreaking research on FGM amongst Sudanese families in Egypt – a reality that has been poorly researched and overlooked until now. The complete report with our findings will be available later this year.

Since the conflict in Sudan began in April 2023, many Sudanese families have migrated to Egypt. Research was needed to better understanding how migration has impacted FGM rates and practices for this community. 

We conducted on the ground research and conversations with survivors and community members to develop strategies to end this harmful practice. In the words of one study participant, “Of course, the worst thing I’ve experienced and suffered from throughout my life is circumcision. And its effects are still there. I am now 53 years old and its effects are still with me, so this is one of the worst, most hideous things I have come across in my life.”
 

Now that our research is complete, we have created an action plan for what will happen next. Our recommendations include interventions, advocacy, and additional research, such as engaging young men as advocates and pursuing legal accountability of health care providers, all of which can help eliminate FGM and improve thousands of lives.

But we can’t do this work alone – your support is critical in helping eliminate FGM worldwide. Please consider donating today to help advance these and other efforts. Thank you.

In solidarity,
Dima Dabbous
Regional Representative, MENA

P.S. Zero Tolerance Day is your opportunity to make a difference in the lives of women and girls impacted by female genital mutilation. Please consider supporting our work with a gift today.