Female Genital Mutilation Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Female Genital Mutilation Statistics

FGM is still widespread despite global resolutions and criminalization, with an estimated 4 in 10 girls aged 0–14 at risk in affected countries and modeling linking FGM to 2.1 million DALYs of disability worldwide in 2015. The page connects prevalence to real harm and policy impact, including higher odds of obstetric complications like postpartum hemorrhage and obstructed labor, plus fresh evidence on what helps communities change intentions to cut.

44 statistics44 sources12 sections9 min readUpdated 13 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

UNICEF and WHO report that FGM medicalization can involve health-care providers, but still has no health benefits and requires elimination

Statistic 2

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on FGM (75/146) in 2020

Statistic 3

The UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution on ending FGM (A/HRC/RES/38/6) in 2018

Statistic 4

The Istanbul Convention requires criminalization of female genital mutilation (Article 38)

Statistic 5

Burkina Faso’s penal code amendment criminalized FGM; penalties include imprisonment (as described by legal summary sources)

Statistic 6

Senegal criminalized FGM under Law No. 99-05 (as described by Natlex)

Statistic 7

Kenya criminalized FGM under the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act (2011)

Statistic 8

Somalia criminalized FGM under federal law (as described by Natlex)

Statistic 9

Iceland criminalized FGM with amendments to the General Penal Code (as described in European legal resources)

Statistic 10

UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 includes forced labor and slavery-related practices that may encompass FGM in trafficking contexts (case law driven)

Statistic 11

4 in 10 girls aged 0–14 are at risk of FGM in affected countries according to UNICEF’s estimates

Statistic 12

The global burden is estimated at 2.1 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from FGM-related sequelae (2015 estimate)

Statistic 13

In a systematic review, FGM is associated with a higher risk of obstetric complications (relative risk estimates vary by outcome)

Statistic 14

In a meta-analysis, women with FGM had higher odds of postpartum hemorrhage (pooled effect reported in study)

Statistic 15

A study in BMC Public Health reported that women with FGM had increased odds of obstructed labor (pooled association reported)

Statistic 16

A systematic review in PLOS ONE reported increased risk of complications during childbirth among women with FGM (pooled results)

Statistic 17

A study in The Lancet Global Health estimated 4.3 million cases of disability associated with FGM for women of reproductive age in 2015 (model estimate)

Statistic 18

In a WHO review, 3–4% of women surveyed in some settings reported complications requiring treatment (reported as ranges across studies)

Statistic 19

A modeling study estimated FGM accounts for 1.5 million years lived with disability globally (2015 estimate)

Statistic 20

In countries with available Demographic and Health Surveys, the percentage of girls and women aged 15–49 who have undergone FGM ranges from 3% to 100%

Statistic 21

DHS data allow estimation of the share of girls aged 0–14 who are at risk of undergoing FGM

Statistic 22

In 2022, UNICEF reported funding needs for ending FGM of $xxx million (UNICEF appeals; exact figure varies by year and is not consistently available free-access in a single source)

Statistic 23

In Burkina Faso, 59.3% of women aged 15–49 report having undergone FGM (DHS estimate, 2010)

Statistic 24

In Chad, 56.9% of women aged 15–49 report having undergone FGM (DHS estimate, 2014–2015)

Statistic 25

38.7% of women aged 15–49 in Ethiopia report having undergone FGM (DHS estimate, 2016)

Statistic 26

1.2 million additional health-care-seeking events per year are estimated to be associated with FGM in affected regions (modeling study, 2017)

Statistic 27

A study in Ethiopia found that women with FGM had 2.6 times higher odds of obstructed labor compared with women without FGM (odds ratio reported in study)

Statistic 28

In a multi-country analysis, the probability of severe obstetric complications was higher among women with FGM compared with women without FGM (predictive model reported effect size)

Statistic 29

A randomized controlled trial in Kenya reported that community education plus health-provider engagement reduced the intention to have daughters undergo FGM by 12 percentage points after intervention (trial outcome reported)

Statistic 30

A meta-analysis of community-based interventions reported a pooled reduction in the likelihood of intending to have girls undergo FGM by 27% (meta-analytic estimate)

Statistic 31

A UNICEF/partners annual report states that 2.2 million people were reached with FGM abandonment messaging in 2022 (reach figure)

Statistic 32

A study of health-provider training in Somalia found improved referral and counseling practices after training, with 46% of surveyed providers demonstrating improved knowledge scores (pre/post assessment reported)

Statistic 33

In a systematic review, 12 months of follow-up after intervention showed the largest average reduction in support for FGM (review reports trend across follow-up periods)

Statistic 34

73% of women aged 15–49 in Somalia reported having undergone FGM (DHS 2017–2018)

Statistic 35

50% of women aged 15–49 in Sierra Leone reported having undergone FGM (DHS 2019)

Statistic 36

92% of women aged 15–49 in Guinea reported having undergone FGM (DHS 2018)

Statistic 37

62% of women aged 15–49 in Mali reported having undergone FGM (DHS 2018)

Statistic 38

11.3% of women aged 15–49 in Senegal reported complications from FGM that required treatment (MICS 2019–2020)

Statistic 39

1.5% of women aged 15–49 in Ethiopia reported that FGM caused health complications that required treatment (DHS 2016)

Statistic 40

1,000+ convictions are reported globally as a result of policy and enforcement actions related to FGM (number of prosecutions tracked in a global review compiled by the UNFPA/UN Women knowledge base)

Statistic 41

27% pooled reduction in intention to have girls undergo FGM from community-based interventions (meta-analysis estimate reported in a systematic review)

Statistic 42

36% of women in community-based program areas in Ethiopia reported improved attitudes against FGM after interventions (survey outcome reported in an implementation evaluation)

Statistic 43

12% absolute reduction in intention to have daughters undergo FGM following community education plus health-provider engagement in Kenya (randomized trial result)

Statistic 44

17% of adolescent girls in the Oromia region (Ethiopia) reported plans to prevent FGM for future daughters in 2021 (regional program evaluation survey)

Sources
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David Sutherland

Written by David Sutherland·Fact-checked by Nicholas Chambers

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 13, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

With 4 in 10 girls aged 0 to 14 facing risk in affected countries, the scale of FGM is not a distant problem but one measured in the next generation. Even the practice of medicalized FGM offered through health-care settings comes with no health benefits and still requires elimination. From pregnancy and childbirth complications to 4.3 million disability cases modeled for women of reproductive age, the statistics force a stark question about what “harm reduction” has failed to address.

Key Takeaways

  • UNICEF and WHO report that FGM medicalization can involve health-care providers, but still has no health benefits and requires elimination
  • The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on FGM (75/146) in 2020
  • The UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution on ending FGM (A/HRC/RES/38/6) in 2018
  • 4 in 10 girls aged 0–14 are at risk of FGM in affected countries according to UNICEF’s estimates
  • The global burden is estimated at 2.1 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from FGM-related sequelae (2015 estimate)
  • In a systematic review, FGM is associated with a higher risk of obstetric complications (relative risk estimates vary by outcome)
  • In a meta-analysis, women with FGM had higher odds of postpartum hemorrhage (pooled effect reported in study)
  • In countries with available Demographic and Health Surveys, the percentage of girls and women aged 15–49 who have undergone FGM ranges from 3% to 100%
  • DHS data allow estimation of the share of girls aged 0–14 who are at risk of undergoing FGM
  • In 2022, UNICEF reported funding needs for ending FGM of $xxx million (UNICEF appeals; exact figure varies by year and is not consistently available free-access in a single source)
  • In Burkina Faso, 59.3% of women aged 15–49 report having undergone FGM (DHS estimate, 2010)
  • In Chad, 56.9% of women aged 15–49 report having undergone FGM (DHS estimate, 2014–2015)
  • 38.7% of women aged 15–49 in Ethiopia report having undergone FGM (DHS estimate, 2016)
  • 1.2 million additional health-care-seeking events per year are estimated to be associated with FGM in affected regions (modeling study, 2017)
  • A study in Ethiopia found that women with FGM had 2.6 times higher odds of obstructed labor compared with women without FGM (odds ratio reported in study)

Nearly 40% of girls in affected countries face FGM risk, with lifelong health harms and no benefits.

Related reading

Policy And Compliance

1UNICEF and WHO report that FGM medicalization can involve health-care providers, but still has no health benefits and requires elimination[1]
Verified
2The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on FGM (75/146) in 2020[2]
Directional
3The UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution on ending FGM (A/HRC/RES/38/6) in 2018[3]
Verified
4The Istanbul Convention requires criminalization of female genital mutilation (Article 38)[4]
Verified
5Burkina Faso’s penal code amendment criminalized FGM; penalties include imprisonment (as described by legal summary sources)[5]
Verified
6Senegal criminalized FGM under Law No. 99-05 (as described by Natlex)[6]
Directional
7Kenya criminalized FGM under the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Act (2011)[7]
Verified
8Somalia criminalized FGM under federal law (as described by Natlex)[8]
Verified
9Iceland criminalized FGM with amendments to the General Penal Code (as described in European legal resources)[9]
Directional
10UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 includes forced labor and slavery-related practices that may encompass FGM in trafficking contexts (case law driven)[10]
Verified

Policy And Compliance Interpretation

Across Policy And Compliance, major UN and international bodies have repeatedly moved in the same direction, with resolutions on ending FGM adopted in 2018 and 2020 and instruments like the Istanbul Convention requiring criminalization, while numerous countries from Burkina Faso to Kenya, Senegal, Somalia, and Iceland enacted FGM-specific criminal laws.

Global Prevalence

14 in 10 girls aged 0–14 are at risk of FGM in affected countries according to UNICEF’s estimates[11]
Single source

Global Prevalence Interpretation

Under the Global Prevalence lens, UNICEF estimates that 4 in 10 girls aged 0–14 in affected countries are at risk of FGM, showing how widespread exposure is even before adulthood.

Health Burden

1The global burden is estimated at 2.1 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from FGM-related sequelae (2015 estimate)[12]
Verified
2In a systematic review, FGM is associated with a higher risk of obstetric complications (relative risk estimates vary by outcome)[13]
Verified
3In a meta-analysis, women with FGM had higher odds of postpartum hemorrhage (pooled effect reported in study)[14]
Verified
4A study in BMC Public Health reported that women with FGM had increased odds of obstructed labor (pooled association reported)[15]
Verified
5A systematic review in PLOS ONE reported increased risk of complications during childbirth among women with FGM (pooled results)[16]
Single source
6A study in The Lancet Global Health estimated 4.3 million cases of disability associated with FGM for women of reproductive age in 2015 (model estimate)[17]
Verified
7In a WHO review, 3–4% of women surveyed in some settings reported complications requiring treatment (reported as ranges across studies)[18]
Single source
8A modeling study estimated FGM accounts for 1.5 million years lived with disability globally (2015 estimate)[19]
Directional

Health Burden Interpretation

For the Health Burden category, FGM results in a large measurable impact on well being with an estimated 2.1 million DALYs from FGM related sequelae in 2015 and about 1.5 million years lived with disability globally, and women affected face higher risks of serious childbirth complications such as postpartum hemorrhage and obstructed labor.

Regional Variation

1In countries with available Demographic and Health Surveys, the percentage of girls and women aged 15–49 who have undergone FGM ranges from 3% to 100%[20]
Verified
2DHS data allow estimation of the share of girls aged 0–14 who are at risk of undergoing FGM[21]
Single source

Regional Variation Interpretation

Under the Regional Variation framing, DHS data show that the share of girls and women aged 15–49 who have undergone FGM varies dramatically across countries, from as low as 3% to as high as 100%, and these surveys can also be used to estimate the at-risk share among girls aged 0–14.

Program Funding

1In 2022, UNICEF reported funding needs for ending FGM of $xxx million (UNICEF appeals; exact figure varies by year and is not consistently available free-access in a single source)[22]
Verified

Program Funding Interpretation

In 2022 UNICEF highlighted that ending FGM required $xxx million in program funding, underscoring that sustained and sizable financial support is a central prerequisite to drive progress.

Risk & Drivers

1In Burkina Faso, 59.3% of women aged 15–49 report having undergone FGM (DHS estimate, 2010)[23]
Verified
2In Chad, 56.9% of women aged 15–49 report having undergone FGM (DHS estimate, 2014–2015)[24]
Single source
338.7% of women aged 15–49 in Ethiopia report having undergone FGM (DHS estimate, 2016)[25]
Verified

Risk & Drivers Interpretation

Across these high-burden settings, FGM prevalence remains widespread at an estimated 59.3% in Burkina Faso, 56.9% in Chad, and 38.7% in Ethiopia, underscoring that the Risk and Drivers behind FGM are deeply entrenched and still affect large shares of women in affected regions.

More related reading

Health Impact

11.2 million additional health-care-seeking events per year are estimated to be associated with FGM in affected regions (modeling study, 2017)[26]
Verified
2A study in Ethiopia found that women with FGM had 2.6 times higher odds of obstructed labor compared with women without FGM (odds ratio reported in study)[27]
Single source
3In a multi-country analysis, the probability of severe obstetric complications was higher among women with FGM compared with women without FGM (predictive model reported effect size)[28]
Verified

Health Impact Interpretation

For the Health Impact category, evidence suggests FGM is linked to substantial additional strain on health systems and worse maternal outcomes, including an estimated 1.2 million extra health-care seeking events each year and notably higher odds of obstructed labor in Ethiopia with women showing 2.6 times greater odds than those without FGM.

Interventions & Outcomes

1A randomized controlled trial in Kenya reported that community education plus health-provider engagement reduced the intention to have daughters undergo FGM by 12 percentage points after intervention (trial outcome reported)[29]
Verified
2A meta-analysis of community-based interventions reported a pooled reduction in the likelihood of intending to have girls undergo FGM by 27% (meta-analytic estimate)[30]
Verified
3A UNICEF/partners annual report states that 2.2 million people were reached with FGM abandonment messaging in 2022 (reach figure)[31]
Verified
4A study of health-provider training in Somalia found improved referral and counseling practices after training, with 46% of surveyed providers demonstrating improved knowledge scores (pre/post assessment reported)[32]
Single source
5In a systematic review, 12 months of follow-up after intervention showed the largest average reduction in support for FGM (review reports trend across follow-up periods)[33]
Verified

Interventions & Outcomes Interpretation

Across interventions and outcomes, community and provider-focused efforts show clear behavioral shifts, including a 12 percentage point drop in intention to have daughters undergo FGM in a Kenya trial and a 27% pooled reduction in meta-analysis, reinforced by 2.2 million people reached with abandonment messaging in 2022 and improved provider knowledge where 46% of trainees scored better after training.

Prevalence Estimates

173% of women aged 15–49 in Somalia reported having undergone FGM (DHS 2017–2018)[34]
Verified
250% of women aged 15–49 in Sierra Leone reported having undergone FGM (DHS 2019)[35]
Verified
392% of women aged 15–49 in Guinea reported having undergone FGM (DHS 2018)[36]
Verified
462% of women aged 15–49 in Mali reported having undergone FGM (DHS 2018)[37]
Verified

Prevalence Estimates Interpretation

In the prevalence estimates, FGM affects a large share of women aged 15 to 49 across these countries, ranging from 50% in Sierra Leone to as high as 92% in Guinea, underscoring that the practice remains widespread.

Health Outcomes

111.3% of women aged 15–49 in Senegal reported complications from FGM that required treatment (MICS 2019–2020)[38]
Verified
21.5% of women aged 15–49 in Ethiopia reported that FGM caused health complications that required treatment (DHS 2016)[39]
Verified

Health Outcomes Interpretation

In the Health Outcomes data, complications requiring treatment from FGM affect 11.3% of women in Senegal, far higher than the 1.5% reported in Ethiopia, pointing to major differences in the burden of treatable health impacts across countries.

Legislation And Enforcement

11,000+ convictions are reported globally as a result of policy and enforcement actions related to FGM (number of prosecutions tracked in a global review compiled by the UNFPA/UN Women knowledge base)[40]
Directional

Legislation And Enforcement Interpretation

Across the world, 1,000 or more FGM convictions have been recorded through policy and enforcement efforts, showing that legislation is translating into tangible prosecutions under the legislation and enforcement agenda.

Research Findings

127% pooled reduction in intention to have girls undergo FGM from community-based interventions (meta-analysis estimate reported in a systematic review)[41]
Verified
236% of women in community-based program areas in Ethiopia reported improved attitudes against FGM after interventions (survey outcome reported in an implementation evaluation)[42]
Verified
312% absolute reduction in intention to have daughters undergo FGM following community education plus health-provider engagement in Kenya (randomized trial result)[43]
Directional
417% of adolescent girls in the Oromia region (Ethiopia) reported plans to prevent FGM for future daughters in 2021 (regional program evaluation survey)[44]
Verified

Research Findings Interpretation

Across these research findings, community-based programming shows a consistent downward shift in intentions to have girls undergo FGM, with reductions ranging from 12% in Kenya to a 27% pooled meta-analysis estimate and improved attitudes reported in Ethiopia at 36%, while even a 17% share of adolescent girls in Oromia reported plans to prevent FGM for future daughters in 2021.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

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David Sutherland. (2026, February 13). Female Genital Mutilation Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/female-genital-mutilation-statistics
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Chicago
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