By: Christian Conteh
On this Zero Tolerance for FGM Day, 6th February 2022, UNFPA and UNICEF have in a joint statement called for collective action to protect every girl from the harmful practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
According to the statement, more investment needs to be made if the age-old practice is to be eradicated.
“We must take action to protect every girl. Let us invest more in programmes that protect girls from harmful practices and provide support services for survivors. Let us invest more in developing, implementing, and enforcing laws and policies that protect girls and women. Let us invest more in building broad partnerships, improving dialogue and consultations, inviting everyone-girls and boys, women and men, parents, community leaders, local authorities, the civil society, law enforcement, religious leaders, development partners and national leaders to act to #EndFGMNow,” the joint statement read.
It further noted that across The Gambia, girls and women are raising their voices like never before, mobilising and building partnerships in their communities and beyond to bring an end to the harmful practise of FGM.
“In remote communities and urban areas, girls and women in schools, communities and on social media, are demanding more decisive actions, including increased investments and stronger partnerships, to end FGM and scale up the delivery of services for girls and women affected or at risk of the practice,” it said.
On International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM, February 6th, both UN Agencies celebrate their collective achievements in the fight against FGM and reflect on the challenges ahead, including the plight of those girls and women living with the trauma and health complications caused by the practice.
They further recommit themselves, through the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme to end Female Genital Mutilation and protect every girl and woman from FGM.
“We must continue to work together to build on past progress and do more to protect every girl and woman at risk of FGM. The Gambia has registered progress in ending FGM: between 2010 and 2018, FGM among girls aged 0-4 years old dropped by 10% to 27% whilst more women, 49%, are now openly saying FGM should stop. This is a paradigm shift, but for The Gambia to meet the global target of ending FGM by 2030, efforts must be scaled up at least 10-fold.”
It maintains that “the practice of FGM continues to further exacerbate deeply rooted gender inequalities in societies by limiting opportunities for girls and women to realize their rights and full potential in terms of health, education, and income. The perceived values associated with the practice are grounded in socio-cultural and religious misconceptions that continue to obstruct gender equality.”
