Developing Countries: Female Genital Mutilation

(asked on 12th February 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment the Department has made of the prevalence of FGM abroad; and what assessment he has made of the trends in the level of FGM in each of the 20 years..


Answered by
Wendy Morton Portrait
Wendy Morton
This question was answered on 25th February 2020

The exact number of girls and women worldwide who have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) remains unknown, however, UNICEF estimates that at least 200 million have been cut in more than 31 countries. Most of these countries are in Africa, parts of the Middle East and Asia. Prevalence varies hugely across these countries, from less than one percent to almost universal. Today, a girl is about one-third less likely to be cut than 30 years ago. But global efforts need to go further and faster if we are to meet the Global Goal to end FGM by 2030. At current rates, 68 million girls are at risk of being cut in the next decade. The UK is leading change in partnership with the Africa-led movement to end FGM, providing £50 million of support over the next five years. UK aid has already helped 10,000 communities, representing over 27 million people, pledge to abandon FGM.

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