UK says the number of girls at risk of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) “is growing” with 230 million women and girls alive today who have undergone FGM and 4.2 million girls at risk of undergoing FGM every year. The UK is investing up to £35.5 million in the Africa-Led Movement to End FGM programme which operates in Kenya, Senegal, Somalia, and Ethiopia. Government says”We must work 27 times faster to eliminate FGM by 2030″

Lord Collins of Highbury, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL4860):

Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask His Majesty’s Government how much of the UK development budget is set aside in (1) the current, and (2) the forthcoming, financial year for the elimination of female genital mutilation; to which agencies the money is to be given; and the countries in which they are working. (HL4860)

Tabled on: 10 February 2025

This question was grouped with the following question(s) by Lord Alton for answer:

1. To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress is being made toward the 2030 target to eliminate female genital mutilation. (HL4858)
   Tabled on: 10 February 2025
2. To ask His Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the number of girls globally who (1) are at risk of, and (2) have been subjected to, female genital mutilation. (HL4859)
   Tabled on: 10 February 2025

Answer:
Lord Collins of Highbury:

Progress has been made towards the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and a girl is a third less likely to undergo FGM today compared to 30 years ago. Since 2013, UK programmes have helped over 10,000 communities, representing over 27 million people, pledge to abandon FGM.

However, population growth in high prevalence countries means that despite this progress, the number of girls at risk is growing. There are 230 million women and girls alive today who have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and 4.2 million girls are at risk of undergoing FGM every year. We must work 27 times faster to eliminate FGM by 2030.

Our main investments to end FGM are as follows: The UK is investing up to £35.5 million in the Africa-Led Movement to End FGM programme which operates in Kenya, Senegal, Somalia, and Ethiopia. We contribute towards the UNICEF/UNFPA Joint Programme for the Elimination of FGM which operates in 18 countries. The UK is also investing up to £20 million towards the Sudan Free of FGM: Phase II programme.

Overall, in 2024-25, the UK spent at least £13.1 million on ending FGM. The UK’s spend on FGM in 2025-26 is yet to be finalised.

Date and time of answer: 20 Feb 2025 at 15:11.