Medium: The Tipping Point: Can the World End Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting?
Cathy Russell, U.S. ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues

“…Now more than ever, [female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C)] is an issue that needs our attention. That’s why the United States has made it a part of our foreign policy and it’s also why we are proud to be part of the global movement to prevent and respond to FGM/C. … The U.S. strategy on gender-based violence that President Obama launched in 2012 makes clear that FGM/C is a harmful practice that requires a multi-sector response  –  one that includes community-led responses, a change in social norms, and political commitment. FGM/C is also addressed in the first-ever U.S. strategy on adolescent girls. And the State Department has made ending harmful practices like FGM/C one of our three key objectives in implementing that strategy. So while my time in this job ends next week, the focus on this issue will continue, because the foundation for that work is in place. … I have no doubt that as this administration comes to an end, we will keep the momentum going” (1/10).