Ending Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Lessons from a decade of progress

This report is a scan of progress made in ending the practice of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) over the last decade. It is intended as an exercise in clarifying the lessons and insights learned since 2000.  By looking back, policymakers and advocates will be better able to decisively move forward to create the conditions necessary to allow women and girls around the world to achieve their full potential.

The report looks back on both failed and successful attempts in ending FGM/C across a wide array of contexts, from policy makers to NGOs and from men and women at the level of local communities. It provides information on the current state of FGM/C from prevalence (its apparent decline in several countries) to policies and tools used to dissuade its’ practice. 

The results of influential, successful groups such as Tostan and the FGM-Free Village Model in Egypt are presented and discussed. 

Recommendations on how to support the continued abandonment of FGM/C are presented in the conclusion of this report. Despite growing momentum to address FGM/C in a comprehensive manner, commitments, resources, and research need to be continued  in order to ensure progress. 

For graphical representation of the trends presented in this report, please see the accompanying wall chart: Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting: Data and Trends.