Policy Brief: Enabling Environments for Eliminating Female Genital Mutilation - Towards a Comprehensive and Multi-sectoral Approach

This policy brief builds on evidence emerging from the review of key policy and legal developments in all countries where female genital mutilation is prevalent, and in particular experiences from the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation: Accelerating Change. By analysing trends for national legislation, strategies and plans, coordination as well as budgets and funding, the document seeks to assess the extent to which UN Member States and their partners across different country contexts have implemented a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach in their efforts to prevent and respond to female genital mutilation.

The document also summarizes the impact of COVID-19 on female genital mutilation prevention and response programmes. It presents a framework for supporting broader accountability at country level around these dimensions and provides strategic guidance to lawmakers, policymakers and all stakeholders in taking forward their commitment to adopt a comprehensive and multi-sectoral approach in addressing female genital mutilation. In doing so, the policy brief emphasizes the following priorities: collecting nationally representative female genital mutilation prevalence data; adopting and enforcing laws on the harmful practice; setting up national strategies or plans, coordination mechanisms and budget lines as part of the national response, integrating female genital mutilation prevention and response in COVID-19, humanitarian and emergency preparedness and response plans and empowering women and youth.