Every Eleven Seconds: A Girl is Cut. Time to Step Up the
Pace.
Every 11 seconds, a girl somewhere in the world undergoes Female Genital Mutilation
(FGM). By the time you’ve read this paragraph, another life has been altered forever; a life
filled with potential, dreams, and aspirations. This year, as we observe the International
Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, let us confront this grim reality with a
renewed sense of urgency and purpose.
FGM is more than just a cultural practice. It is an assault on the dignity, health, and future
of women and girls. Globally, over 200 million women and girls have already endured this
gross violation, and without accelerated efforts, 50 million more are at risk by 2030. In
Africa, the situation is dire, with many countries still grappling with deeply rooted traditions
that perpetuate this harmful practice.
In Nigeria, the statistics are staggering. 19.9 million women and girls have undergone FGM,
making it one of the countries with the highest number of cases. Despite all the legislative
interventions, FGM persists in rural communities, fueled by harmful myths, societal
pressures, and misinformation.
FGM: A Human Tragedy
FGM is not just a physical act, it is a lifetime of suffering. Survivors often endure:
✓ Chronic pain and infections.
✓ Life-threatening complications during childbirth.
✓ Psychological trauma that scars them long after the physical wounds have healed.
✓ A denial of their basic human rights, including the right to safety, health, and
freedom of choice.
Each girl who undergoes FGM is more than just a statistic—she is someone’s daughter,
sister, or friend. She is a future doctor, teacher, leader, or mother whose life has been
unjustly disrupted.
ZFH’s Fight Against FGM: A Holistic Approach
At Zaks Foundation for Humanity , we see the fight against FGM as central to our mission of
mitigating multidimensional poverty and improving the quality of life for vulnerable families
and communities in Africa.
ZFH doesn’t see or treat the campaign as an annual ritual,, ZFH runs specific programs to
highlight the dangers of FGM, engaging communities, survivors, and stakeholders in
dialogue to dismantle the myths and norms that sustain it. But our fight doesn’t stop there.
We use every outreach from all our programs to campaign vigorously against FGM:
ZFH PROGRAMS INTEGRATING AND SUPPORTING THE FIGHT AGAINST FGM
1. Nutritional Assistance Program (NAP) – Monthly food support outreaches include FGM
awareness campaigns and pep talks for beneficiaries and vulnerable families.
2. Social Entrepreneurship & Economic Development (SEED) – Women trained in economic
initiatives are educated on the health and human rights violations of FGM.
3. Community Health for Adolescents and Reproductive Mothers (CHARM) – Provides
survivors with medical treatment and psychosocial support while educating pregnant
mothers on the risks of perpetuating FGM.
4. Feminine Learning Outreach for Wellbeing (FLOW) – Addresses menstrual health and
advocates for the rights of girls, highlighting FGM’s devastating impacts.
5. Galvanizing Resources for Educating Adolescents and Teachers (GREAT) – Sensitizes
schools and teachers about FGM and empowers students to become advocates.
6. Resilience for Agricultural Innovation and Development (RAID) – Uses farmer gatherings
to challenge cultural norms and spark community-wide conversations about ending FGM.
7. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) – Creates platforms to engage women during
sanitation campaigns on the importance of rejecting FGM.
8. Climate and Hunger Alliance in Planting Trees (CHAPT) – Combines environmental
advocacy with social awareness to address harmful practices like FGM.
Through these programs, ZFH not only addresses poverty, health, and education but also
actively combats the social systems that allow FGM to persist.
Step Up the Pace: Join Us to End FGM

This year’s theme, “Step Up the Pace,” calls for collective action to strengthen alliances,
build movements, and accelerate the fight against FGM. At ZFH, we believe that the key to
ending FGM lies in community involvement, education, and survivor support.
From traditional leaders to health workers, mothers, fathers, and policymakers, everyone
has a role to play. The fight against FGM isn’t just for the girls who are at risk—it’s for all of
us who dream of a fairer, kinder, and more just world.
Ending FGM is a daunting challenge, but it is one we can overcome together. We at ZFH
invite governments, individuals, and organizations to partner with us in protecting the rights
of girls and women. Together, we can break the chains of this harmful practice and create a
future where every girl is free to grow, thrive, and realize her potential.
Join the movement. Share your voice. Support survivors. Let’s #Unite2EndFGM.
Every eleven seconds, another girl is cut. Let us make sure the next eleven seconds tell a
different story.