Opinion: 230 million women are affected by FGM. I am one of them

Female genital mutilation is on the rise. Momentum for a global alliance of funders, with leadership from the United Kingdom and grassroots activists to work to eliminate this devastating practice, is needed now more than ever.

A new global report from UNICEF shows that 230 million women and girls have been affected by female genital mutilation — an increase of 15% since the last review in 2016 — and 144 million of them live on the African continent.

Attitudes are changing and women are less likely to undergo this human rights violation than 30 years ago, but population growth and instability in areas of high FGM prevalence means that we are continuing to fight an uphill battle. Every single day, 12,000 girls continue to be at risk — many of whom live on the African continent in countries such as those listed above, as well as Mali, Sierra Leone, Somalia, and Sudan.