International Day Against Female Genital Mutilation: Italy reaffirms its diplomatic commitment against the practice that violates women's rights

On the occasion of the International Day Against Female Genital Mutilation, held yesterday, February 6, 2025, Italy reaffirmed its commitment to the fight against this serious violation of human rights. Through diplomatic actions and international cooperation, our country confirms its role as a protagonist in the promotion of women's rights and the elimination of harmful practices.

On the occasion of International Day Against Female Genital Mutilation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani reaffirms Italy's commitment to eliminating this aberrant practice that seriously undermines the dignity and rights of millions of women in the world.

According to United Nations estimates, over 230 million women and girls in the world are victims of genital mutilation, most of them before reaching the age of fifteen, and it is estimated that every year around 3 million women undergo this practice.

THEconstant work of Italian diplomacy and cooperation has allowed our country to establish itself among the most active actors in the fight against female genital mutilation, both within International Organizations and through dialogue in the context of bilateral relations with the countries most interested or affected by the phenomenon.

Italy will strongly reiterate its commitment against this practice also on the occasion of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, which will take place in New York between March 10th and 21st, and which represents the most important multilateral meeting on the topic of women's rights protectionand of the promoting gender equality.

La fight against female genital mutilation It also forms an integral part of the presentation programme of the Italian candidacy for the United Nations Human Rights Council for the three-year period 2026-2028.