This term, however, draws in view of its significance as an advocacy tool, all a parallel with male circumcision and, as a result, United Nations agencies have agreed to use the creates confusion between these two distinct single term ‘female genital mutilation’.practices.
The expression ‘female genital mutilation’ gained growing support from the late 1970s. The word mutilation establishes a clear linguistic distinction from male circumcision, and emphasizes the gravity and harm of the act. Use of the word ‘mutilation’ reinforces the fact that the practice is a violation of girls’ and women’s rights, and thereby helps to promote national and international advocacy for its abandonment.

For the purpose of this Interagency Statement and in view of its significance as an advocacy tool, all United Nations agencies have agreed to use the single term ‘female genital mutilation’.

National and international organizations have played a key role in advocating against the practice and generating data that confirm its harmful consequences.