Today marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a horrific practice in which a girl’s external genitalia are cut, removed, or sewn shut.

This year alone, 4.5 million girls — more than half of them under five years old — are at risk of undergoing this procedure. FGM is known to cause deep, life-long, and often life-threatening physical and mental harm, including chronic infections, infertility, PTSD, HIV, and even death from bleeding.

Female genital mutilation is not safe or necessary, and there is never any medical justification for it. This is why UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, is leading a global effort to end FGM by 2030.

Your voice and support allows UNFPA teams to continue educating communities on the dangers of FGM and encourage them to abandon the practice. At the national level, we work with governments and community advocates to outlaw the practice.

A mother and daughter in the Rabi Yasir camp for internally displaced people in Mogadishu, Somalia. Somalia has the highest incidence of FGM in the world, with 98%-99% of girls having been cut. © UNFPA Somalia/Usame Nur Hussein

In the Mara region of the United Republic of Tanzania, female genital mutilation was once considered an unavoidable rite of passage for young girls. Today, the region still has one of the highest rates in the country.

Olivia, 19, was subjected to FGM at age 13, just before school resumed for the year.

“I hid my pain because everyone around me said it was normal,” she told UNFPA. “But deep down, I knew what I experienced was not something any girl should go through.”

Olivia leads a youth advocacy group in the Mara region of the United Republic of Tanzania © UNFPA Tanzania/Bill Marwa

When Olivia joined a UNFPA community dialogue, she heard other survivors openly sharing their experiences. The dialogue was driven by community members, and made possible thanks to generous donations from people like you.

“I realized my voice had power,” Olivia said. “If I spoke up, maybe one girl — just one — would be spared. We cannot erase the past, but we can make sure the next girl grows up without fear. And together, we will make that happen.”

Today, thanks to donor support that funds these vital programs, Olivia leads a youth advocacy group that holds education sessions in schools, works with traditional leaders, and supports women’s and children’s protection committees to create safe spaces for girls at risk and ensure cases are reported.

When you make a humanitarian gift, you’re empowering survivors of FGM like Olivia with caseworkers, community dialogues, and the support to reclaim their futures — and her story shows just how far generosity can reach.

We want to hear from supporters like you: Is our work to end FGM and create a safer, healthier world for women and girls important?

Thank you for your response,

— USA for UNFPA