The World Health Organization defines female genital mutilation as “all procedures which involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injuries to the female genital organs whether for cultural or any other non-therapeutic reasons”. The practice is deeply rooted and enshrined in taboos with the culture of silence and secrecy making it persistent. Each community has its name for it, sometimes shared with male circumcision. FGM is always traumatic with immediate complications including excruciating pain, shock, urine retention, and injury and can lead to other complications such as septicemia, infertility, obstructed labor, and death.
Since 2014, UNICEF and UNFPA, in partnership with government, civil society organizations and communities, implemented the Joint Programme in the five states with traditionally high prevalence in the practice of FGM amongst women and girls aged 15-49, based on the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS 2018), namely, Osun State (45.9%), Ebonyi State (53.2%), Ekiti State (57.9 %), Imo State (61.7%) and Oyo (31.1%). Across which approximately 3 million girls and women have undergone FGM. The programme aims to strengthen legal and policy development and implementation, improve access to quality health care, protection, legal and social services, and educate communities on the need to eliminate FGM.
UNICEF in collaboration with UNFPA and the Government of Nigeria is initiating “the Movement for Good to End FGM” which is a whole-of-society undertaking to end FGM in five (5) states in Osun, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Imo and Oyo, with traditionally high prevalence in the practice of FGM amongst women and girls aged 15-49, based on the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS 2018). The Campaign will initially target five (5) million (adolescent girls and boys, women – including especially pregnant and lactating mothers- men, grand-parents, traditional, community and religious leaders, youth and women-led groups, health care workers, justice sector actors, and other State functionaries), across the five states using the pledge #Act2endFGM and #Endcuttinggirls.

The aims of the Launch of the movement for Good to end FGM are as follows: 

  • To raise awareness of the risks and harmful consequences of FGM on girls and women, highlight the legal prohibition of FGM, the consequences of its violation and protect girls at risk of FGM including enhancing access to health, psycho-social, and justice services.
  • To officially launch the Movement for Good to End FGM in Nigeria: taking a whole-of-society approach that brings together all sectors, all actors and the Nigerian society to accelerate the elimination of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria.
  • Achieve renewed commitment, momentum, and sustained effort from every sector to accelerate investments to end FGM and build a movement of allies working towards the global promise of ending female genital mutilation by 2030 (Target 5.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals).
The Movement for Good to end FGM pledge is asking Individuals (women, girls, men and boys) to Sign up and join the movement and encourage family, friends, peers, neighbors, colleagues and acquaintances to do the same.  Also Discuss the issue (FGM) in your school/work or other social and religious spaces you belong to (church/mosque/youth group, age group etc.)  You can ask your traditional/religious leader or head of your association or institution to be part of the movement., Start a campaign in your community and encourage people to Speak out against the practice of FGM and report any cases to the appropriate authorities.
On the side of our Communities, Traditional circumcisers, Health workers are expected to denounce the practice of FGM by taking a symbolic action that shows the abandonment of the practice and to spearhead collective actions such as LGA action plans that incorporate strong community-based feedback and reporting mechanism tailored to community contexts.
Service providers (Health, Justice, Empowerment) are to Provide and scale up quality prevention and response service to girls and women survivors or at risk of FGM. Government
at all levels should Commit the required resources and political will required to coordinate efforts to prevent and respond to FGM. While CSO networks should Sign up and join the movement and encourage family, friends, peers, neighbours colleagues and acquaintances to do the same.
How to pledge:
SMS: Text Pledge to 24453
WhatsApp: click this link bit.ly/3vkJWgW
Facebook Messenger: Send Pledge @ureportnigeria
Kindly follow us across all our social media handles for a new update on this campaign – @m4good2endfgm