UNIS/SGSM/1472
31 January 2025
Female genital mutilation is a horrific act of gender-based violence.
More than 230 million girls and women alive today are survivors of this abhorrent practice.
As one of the most brutal manifestations of gender inequality, female genital mutilation inflicts profound, lifelong physical and mental harm, carries life-threatening health risks, and violates the rights of women and girls to bodily autonomy, safety, and dignity.
Eradicating this vicious human rights violation is urgent, and it is possible.
As this year’s theme reminds us, we are making progress, but we must pick up the pace. We must strengthen global movements to break down harmful attitudes, beliefs and gender stereotypes. And we need to bolster strong partnerships between governments, grassroots organizations and survivors to supercharge efforts and eliminate this scourge by 2030.
The Pact for the Future, agreed at the United Nations last September, includes a commitment by Member States to eliminate female genital mutilation by tackling negative social norms and gender discrimination.
Let’s join forces to make female genital mutilation history and ensure a brighter, healthier, and more just future for all women and girls everywhere.
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"Female genital mutilation is a horrific act of gender-based violence. More than 230 million girls and women alive today are survivors of this abhorrent practice." — António Guterres
"This year marks the eightieth anniversary of the Holocaust's end. We mourn the six million Jews murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators, as they sought to destroy an entire people. " — António Guterres
The new Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations (Vienna), María Eugenia Echeverría, presented her credentials today to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), Ghada Waly.
The new Permanent Representative of Jamaica to the United Nations (Vienna), Richard Brown, presented his credentials today to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), Ghada Waly.