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Female genital mutilation is a global human rights violation and the most extreme form of sexual violence, inflicting profound psychological, emotional, and physical trauma. Every 10 seconds a girl as young as 4 years old is mutilated, with over 200 million victims already. The procedure kills 44,000 girls and women each year.

The Finnish International Solidarity Foundation (ISF) combats FGM in East Africa but in 2023 they were facing funding loss, and simultaneously this ongoing tragedy was disappearing from the public eye amid other global and national challenges. FGM is often regarded as something distant, when in reality it’s hindering the economical, cultural and social development of
hundreds of millions of people and communities worldwide as well as in
Finland. So as their last resort, the ISF decided to turn to the ultimate guardian of humanity’s most priceless heritage. On the International Day of the Girl Child, Oct. 11th, the ISF submitted the application to Finland’s UNESCO representatives and ministries demanding the inclusion of female genitalia on UNESCO World Heritage List. The unprecedented gesture was amplified with highly targeted billboards surrounding UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris. Immediately the act was embraced by major news outlets in Finland, bringing the issue to the forefront in Finnish institutions and the public. It made front page news in Kenya, a key country in battling FGM, urging decision-makers to take action against the deadly tradition. And crucially, it led to record-breaking donations, securing ISF’s future work and giving new hope for the fight against female genital mutilation.