Dramatic rise in women and girls being cut, new FGM data reveals

Many African countries have experienced a steady decline in FGM over the past few decades, but still about 60% of cases take place on the continent. Photograph: SOPA Images Limited/Alamy

The number of girls and women who have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM) has increased by 15% in the past eight years, according to new data.

Figures released by the UN children’s agency, Unicef, show that more than 230 million girls and women alive today have undergone FGM, compared with 200 million in 2016. The trend is towards girls being cut at a younger age, said Unicef executive director Catherine Russell.