United Nations: Urging More Action to End Female Genital Mutilation, Secretary General Says Nearly 4 Million Girls at Risk Annually, in Message for International Observance
In a message for the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, observed annually on February 6, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres says, “Female genital mutilation is an abhorrent human rights violation affecting women and girls around the world. … With strong political commitment, we are seeing positive change in several countries. However, if current trends persist, these advances will continue to be outpaced by rapid population growth where the practice is concentrated. On this Day of Zero Tolerance, I call for increased, concerted, and global action to end female genital mutilation and fully uphold the human rights of all women and girls” (2/1).