WHO guideline on the prevention of female genital mutilation and clinical management of complications /

Geneva: World Health Organisation, 2025

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Urgent measures are needed to curtail the rising “medicalization” of female genital mutilation (FGM) and to engage health workers to prevent the practice, according to a new guideline published on 28 April 2025 by the World Health Organization (WHO). While the health sector plays a key role in stopping FGM and supporting survivors, in several parts of the world, evidence suggests the practice is now increasingly performed by health workers. As of 2020, an estimated 52 million girls and women were subjected to FGM at the hands of health workers - around 1 in 4 cases. The new WHO guideline provides recommendations to both prevent the practice and ensure evidence-based care for survivors, covering actions for the health sector, governments, and affected communities.

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