The United Nations children’s agency UNICEF, has released data revealing that the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) practice has increased by 15% in the past eight years.
With the ongoing International Women's Day celebrations, FGM is still a practice that violates girls and women’s right affecting them physically, psychologically and their social behavior.
According to the UNICEF executive director, Catherine Russel, the practice has been able to get around without notice as the mutilators have adopted a new way of cutting the girls at a much younger age.
“We are seeing a worrying trend that more girls are subjected to the practice at younger ages, many before their fifth birthday. That further reduces the window to intervene. We need to strengthen the efforts of ending this harmful practice,” she stated
The agency has further urged the UN to move faster in order to hit their 2030 target of eliminating the practice completely.
“Female Genital, Mutilation harms girl’s bodies, dims their futures and endangers their lives.”
Currently more than 230 million girls and women have undergone FGM compared with 200 million in 2016. The reports show that African countries are still the most affected accounting for 144 million cases.
The official UN international women’s Day commemoration will be taking place in the ECOSOC. The UN has been known to embrace international days and using them as advocacy tools to address global issues, celebrate and reinforce humanity.
Internationally celebrating women aims at creating awareness on discrimination and instead value and celebrate the differences in humanity.
UNICEF reports on rise in Female Genital Mutilation Practice amid International Women’s Day celebrations