Background of Topic:

Female genital mutilation (FGM) encompasses all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

Despite extreme progress in reducing incidents of cutting, in the next decade, UNICEF predicts that 30 million more girls will be affected by FGM if action is not accelerated.

Ideas for the Day:

• Educate yourself. Read a comprehensive statistical overview of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in the 29 countries where the practice is most common.
• Read about Zonta’s partners’, UNFPA and UNICEF, collaboration on the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Accelerating Change in 15 countries in West, East and North Africa.
• Follow @UNICEF on Twitter and Facebook.
• Share the below infographics and videos to your social media pages.

Hashtag: #ZontaSaysNO #16Days
Images and Videos to Share:

• FGM: Where does it happen? Provided by UNICEF: http://www.unicef.org/protection/files/00-FMGC_infographiclow-res.pdf
• Watch “No Time to Lose”, a video created by UNICEF about their efforts to eliminate female genital mutilation. Where do we stand today? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG7xQ6dqCWY&list=PLAE0A046C4A21B639
• Click the image below to open; right click to save.