Garowe, 10 June 2021 –  UNFPA Somalia would like to congratulate The President of Puntland State of Somalia, His Excellency Said Cabdullahi Deni and his cabinet for approving the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Zero Tolerance Bill on 10 June 2021.

“The approval of the FGM Zero Tolerance Bill is a great milestone. It is expected that this bill, once passed into law, will have a ripple effect in the campaign to end FGM in Puntland. This means girls will be safe from the brutal cut that undermines the health of women and girls,” said UNFPA Representative Anders Thomsen.

The Ministry of Justice, Constitution, Religious Affairs and Rehabilitation played a lead role in advocating for the bill. In addition, the Ministry of Women Development and Family Affairs and the Ministry of Health also rallied behind this important bill. UNFPA is proud of its partnerships with the three ministries.

The UN agency supported consultations with religious leaders, parliamentarians and communities and in drafting the FGM Zero Tolerance Bill. UNFPA has also supported FGM campaigns in Puntland, leading to many communities abandoning the practice.  

FGM is a harmful practice that scars girls and women and endangers their health for life, depriving them of their rights and denying them the chance to reach their full potential.

Somalia has one of the highest rates of FGM in the world. According to the latest Somali Health and Demographic Survey, 99 percent of women between the ages of 15 and 49 have been subjected to this extremely harmful and unacceptable practice.

UNFPA inquiries: please contact Ms. Pilirani Semu-Banda, Communications and Partnerships Specialist, UNFPA Somalia, Tel: +254 734500439; semu-banda@unfpa.org