Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a harmful practice that involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It has devastating physical, emotional, and psychological consequences for women and girls and is a violation of human rights.

According to the 2018 NDHS, the prevalence of FGM among women aged 15-49 in Nigeria is 18.4%. However, the prevalence varies across states, with some states having much higher rates. For example, states in the South-South and South-East regions, such as Edo, Imo, Ebonyi, and Bayelsa, have among the highest prevalence rates of FGM in Nigeria, ranging from 42.8% to 63.2% among women of reproductive age. Other states with high prevalence rates include Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, and Ogun in the South-West region.

To effectively tackle this issue it is crucial to engage and empower young people, who can be champions for change within their communities.

The End FGM Youth Fellows Program is aimed at empowering young people to take leadership roles in ending Female Genital Mutilation by providing them with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources to become effective advocates and community mobilizers through a fellowship and learning program.

The program will focus on the following objectives:

a) Capacity Building

b) Advocacy and Awareness

c) Community Engagement

d) Networking and Collaboration

e) Monitoring and Evaluation

The End FGM Youth Fellows Program will target young people between the ages of 18 and 30, who are passionate about ending FGM,  have demonstrated leadership potential in their communities, and are members of the Youth Anti-FGM Network. The program will be open to youth from diverse backgrounds, including survivors of FGM and those from significant regions by data, cultures, and religions.

This program will run from May to August 2023.

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