On the occasion of the International Day against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, reiterates Italy’s firm commitment to combating an unacceptable practice responsible for serious human rights violations affecting millions of women and girls worldwide, as well as to opposing all harmful practices that threaten women’s freedom and security, including forced early marriages.
According to the latest United Nations estimates, more than 230 million women and girls have already undergone female genital mutilation, in most cases before the age of 15. There are, however, some signs of progress: over the past thirty years, the proportion of girls aged between 15 and 19 subjected to this practice has declined. While still insufficient, this result points to the possibility of change, to which Italy has made a significant contribution.
Italy will continue to keep this issue high on the agenda, placing it at the centre of bilateral dialogue with the countries most affected and supporting initiatives at the multilateral level. The fight against female genital mutilation is among the priorities of Italy’s mandate on the Human Rights Council for the 2026–2028 term and constitutes a core pillar of Italy’s participation in the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, scheduled to take place in New York from 9 to 19 March.
