Around 200 million women and girls around the world have been victims of female genital mutilation. A stronger global commitment is needed to eradicate the practice by 2030, according to a statement from the United Nations Population Fund, UN Women and UNICEF, marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance For Female Genital Mutilation. The practice "denies [women and children] their dignity, endangers their health and causes needless pain and suffering, even death," says UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
"URI actively supports the human rights of women, and works to address any encroachment upon those rights," says United Religions Initiative Executive Director The Rev. Victor H. Kazanjian Jr. "We stand with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), UN Women and UNICEF in marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance For Female Genital Mutilation. And we affirm the words of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, that this practice 'denies [women and children] their dignity, endangers their health and causes needless pain and suffering, even death.'"
Learn more about the United Religions Initiative's work to support women and protect women's rights worldwide here.