Kofa Africa Foundation

ENDING FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Protecting Rights & Restoring Dignity

​The Challenge: A Severe Human Rights Violation

​Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical, cultural reasons. Beyond being a grave violation of fundamental human rights, FGM is performed on young girls well below the age of consent leaving them with no voice or choice over their own bodies.

​Whether performed by traditional practitioners or medical personnel, FGM carries severe physical and emotional consequences, including severe hemorrhage, chronic infections, reproductive complications, and long-term psychological trauma. While global advocacy has helped reduce its incidence, FGM remains deeply rooted in many regions, demanding urgent, multi-sectoral community action.

​Our Solution: Community-Led Advocacy & Survivor Support

​At KOFA Africa, we are actively working to eradicate FGM across Nigeria by driving grassroots education, changing cultural narratives, and supporting survivors:

  • ​Targeted Health Education: Running community outreach to expose the physical and psychological dangers of FGM while celebrating safe, non-harmful cultural traditions.
  • ​Survivor Healthcare & Counseling: Delivering compassionate, specialized mental health counseling and medical guidance for women and girls living with the physical and psychological effects of FGM.
  • ​High-Impact Regional Focus: Directly targeting intervention efforts in the five Nigerian states with the highest recorded prevalence: Ebonyi, Ekiti, Imo, Osun, and Oyo.
  • ​Our Goal: To completely eliminate the practice of FGM in high-prevalence states across Nigeria, working hand-in-hand with local leaders to safeguard the health, rights, and futures of young girls.
    ​Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Alignment
    • ​SDG 5: Gender Equality (Target 5.3)  Eliminating all harmful traditional practices, including child marriage and female genital mutilation, to empower women and girls.
    • ​SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being (Targets 3.4 & 3.7)  Ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare while offering mental health support to survivors of trauma.