Child protection · Girls’ rights
Preventing harmful practices
Protecting girls’ health and rights
Female genital mutilation (FGM) involves injury to female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The World Health Organization identifies it as a violation of girls’ and women’s human rights.
FGM has no health benefits and can cause serious immediate and long-term harm. Having the procedure performed by a healthcare worker does not make it safe.
Understanding the barriers to prevention
Social pressure, expectations about marriage and fear of exclusion can sustain the practice. Prevention requires respectful community dialogue while upholding girls’ rights and bodily integrity.
CADEF’s programme focus
Preventing harmful practices is part of CADEF’s child protection and gender equality priorities. The programme approach emphasises community awareness, children’s participation and links with qualified health and protection services.
Partnerships can strengthen community awareness, children’s participation and access to appropriate protection and health services. Explore CADEF’s community child protection work to see how these priorities connect with local action.
Explore community child protection work · Read about gender equality
Further reading
WHO: Female genital mutilation (fact sheet dated 31 January 2025).
Support community-led action
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