Today, February 6th, we join the world to observe the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This year’s theme, “Step Up the Pace,” is a call to accelerate efforts to end this harmful practice, which has affected over 200 million women and girls globally and continues to put 4 million girls at risk each year.
FGM is not just a cultural issue; it is a grave violation of human rights, perpetuating inequality and leaving countless women and girls with lifelong physical and emotional scars. While progress has been made, the pace of change remains slow, and urgent action is needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 5: Gender Equality by 2030.
At the Women Empowerment Education and Peace Building Initiative (WEPBI), we are working tirelessly to combat FGM through advocacy, community awareness, and empowerment programs like the Women Leadership Academy (WLA). By equipping women and girls with leadership skills and knowledge of their rights, we are dismantling the societal norms that sustain harmful practices and building a future where every girl can thrive.
Ending FGM requires collective action. Governments, families, educators, and advocates must work together to enforce protective laws, challenge harmful traditions, and provide support for survivors. Each step we take today strengthens the global fight to eradicate FGM and protect the next generation of girls from this injustice.
As Executive Director of WEPBI, I urge everyone to reflect on this year’s theme and commit to bold, decisive action. The time to step up is now, Together, we can build a world where no girl is forced to endure the pain and fear of FGM.