Religion Unplugged believes in a diversity of well-reasoned and well-researched opinions. This piece reflects the views of the author and does not necessarily represent those of Religion Unplugged, its staff and contributors.

(OPINION) “We are losing ground in the fight to end female genital mutilation,” said Nankali Maksud, UNICEF senior advisor of prevention of harmful practices. Despite U.N. agencies working to eradicate female genital mutilation by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals framework, the progress has been stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Female genital mutilation refers to all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for nonmedical reasons. However, FGM stands for more than a medical procedure that inflicts temporary pain and suffering. FGM is a severe violation of human rights of women and girls. FGM is a human rights violation that results in physical and psychological consequences that women and girls have to deal with for the rest of their lives.

The U.N. warns that “girls who undergo FGM, experience short-term complications such as severe pain, shock, excessive bleeding, infections, and difficulty in passing urine. There are also long-term impacts on their sexual and reproductive health, and on mental health.”

Despite these serious consequences, FGM is often performed by medical professionals. “Around 1 in 4 girls and women who have undergone female genital mutilation, or 52 million worldwide, were subjected to the practice at the hands of a health personnel.” This is an alarming emerging trend that needs to be addressed.

According to the U.N., at least 200 million women and girls who are alive today have undergone FGM. This harmful procedure is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and age 15. In 2022 alone, there are 4.2 million girls around the world who are at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation

While recent years have seen some progress in addressing FGM, the COVID-19 pandemic could reverse decades of global progress. “Shuttered schools, lockdowns and disruption to services that protect girls, have put millions worldwide at increased risk of being subjected to FGM,” the U.N. report said. Where girls do not have access to vital services, schools and community networks, their risk of FGM significantly increases.

According to the U.N., as a result of the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, an “additional 2 million girls (are) projected to be at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation by 2030.” This constitutes a 33% reduction in the progress toward ending this harmful practice. In response, the U.N., through its UNFPA-UNICEF joint program, has been adapting interventions that ensure the integration of FGM in humanitarian and post-crisis response. The project is active in 17 countries where the practice of FGM is prevalent. The project aims to creates opportunities for girls and women to empower them by realizing their rights in health, education, income and equality.e.

On the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, commemorated on February 6, more needs to be done to put an end to a practice that harms women and girls for life.

Ewelina U. Ochab is a legal researcher and human rights advocate, doctoral candidate and author of the book “Never Again: Legal Responses to a Broken Promise in the Middle East” and more than 30 U.N. reports. She works on the topic of persecution of minorities around the world. This piece was re-published from Forbes with permission.