March 6, 2026
Topic Women Topic Fgm Topic Koran Topic Mohammed Topic Press-release
Brno, Czech Republic — A new study by the Center for the Study of Political Islam International (CSPII) estimates that between 297 and 307 million females (women and children) alive today have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM). This figure is significantly higher than UNICEF’s 2024 estimate of 230 million and represents an increase from CSPII's 2025 estimate of 291 to 304 million. 307 million represents almost one in four (23.68%) Muslim females, as compared to about one in fifty-four (1.84%) non-Muslim females.
On International Women's Day, CSPII puts a spotlight on this damaging and illegal practice. FGM is a procedure that often involves the partial or total removal of external female genitalia, frequently performed on children who have no voice or power to protect themselves. It is a grave violation of their bodily integrity and human rights.
🔴 The full CSPII FGM INDEX 2026 study is available here.
CSPII’s FGM INDEX 2026 estimate of the prevalence of female genital mutilation has increased since last year, from 291 to 304 million to 297 to 307 million. This is considerably more than the figure accepted in the mainstream discourse: UNICEF’s estimate of 230 million. CSPII’s FGM INDEX 2026 confirms that FGM correlates with the influence of Islamic doctrine, which supports the practice.
Unlike UNICEF, which bases its data on 31 countries, CSPII’s 2026 survey includes numerical data from 78 countries—47 more than UNICEF's 2024 survey—covering a far broader scope, including nations where FGM has recently emerged, such as those in Europe, North America, and Australia. The 2026 FGM Index also identifies 25 countries for which there is anecdotal evidence of FGM but no numerical data.
Approximately 80% of global FGM cases are attributed to Islamic populations, a proportion consistent with the previous year's findings. The study confirms that FGM correlates with the influence of Islamic doctrine, which supports the practice.
“Organizations combating FGM minimize or deny this correlation, or are unaware of it, as they are of the role of Islamic doctrine in producing it. Any solution that does not take into consideration the true causes of a problem is likely to be ineffective. It is our hope that this study, by highlighting the gravity of the problem and by exposing links between Islamic doctrine and FGM, will contribute to a better understanding of the nature and causes of FGM, and thereby help eliminate this grave violation of the dignity and rights of children, and the women they grow up to be.” – Julian Flynn, CSPII FGM Research Specialist.
“The fact that FGM is supported by Islamic doctrine raises an important question: is there anything else in Islamic doctrine that throws light on the causes of other local or global issues? The answer is yes. Islamic doctrine supports and/or justifies a variety of behaviors, including child marriage, sexual slavery, the abuse of women, the use of terror, and the persecution of sexual minorities and people of other beliefs. We need to be fearless in our investigation and analysis of Islamic doctrine and, before it's too late, start taking bold, well-informed steps that will prevent future suffering.” – Milan Podlipný, CSPII Co-Founder & CEO
Three factors attributed to the number increase in the 2026 FGM Index
- New Data: New data on FGM became available in 2025, though this had a minimal impact on the overall calculations.
- Methodological Change: The 2026 survey integrates data on the proportion of each country's population that is female, rather than assuming a 50/50 split. This has tended to reduce the amount of FGM in calculations for some countries.
- Demographic Change: High-prevalence countries have experienced population increases since last year, which has more than offset reductions from the methodological change.
The countries with the greatest numbers of FGM remain unchanged from the 2025 report: 1. Indonesia (with 123 million girls/women having undergone FGM), 2. Egypt (36 million), 3. Ethiopia (30 million), 4. Sudan (16 million) and 5. Nigeria (14 million).
The countries with the highest rates of FGM also remain unchanged: 1. Somalia (with 99% of its female population having undergone FGM), 2. Indonesia (87%), 3. Mali (81%), 4. Djibouti (72%) and 5. Guinea (72%).
The Western countries with the greatest numbers of FGM are also the same as in 2025: 1. the USA (with 577,000 girls/women having undergone FGM), 2. Canada (161,000), 3. France (139,000), 4. the UK (137,000) and 5. Germany (104,000).
The Western countries with the highest rates of FGM are also consistent with the 2025 findings: 1. Sweden (with 1.29% of its female population having undergone FGM), 2. Canada (0.78%), 3. Norway (0.62%), 4. Switzerland (0.5%) and 5. the Netherlands (0.46%).
The Devastating and Lifelong Impact of FGM
Female Genital Mutilation is a violation of the human rights of girls and women, with devastating and lifelong consequences for their physical and mental health. A 2025 World Health Organization (WHO) study, Exploring the health complications of female genital mutilation through a systematic review and meta-analysis, provides a comprehensive overview of the damage caused by this practice:
Women with FGM are significantly more likely to experience a wide range of complications during childbirth. They have more than double the risk of enduring prolonged or obstructed labor or hemorrhage, while being significantly more likely to require emergency cesarean sections or forceps delivery. In addition, women with FGM have an almost three-times greater risk of depression or anxiety, and a 4.4 times higher likelihood of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder.
About CSPII
The CSPII (Center for the Study of Political Islam International) is an independent non-profit research and educational organization. Our concern is with the ideological doctrine of Islam that relates to Kafirs (non-Muslims), and, therefore, is political. We define this part of the doctrine as “Political Islam”.
We analyze Islamic primary doctrine, and its continuous, harmful political impact on individuals and governments. We use scientific methods, rational thought and fact-based reasoning to show how the influence of Political Islam exponentially spreads within non-Islamic countries, creating the economic, legal, and sociocultural foundation to turn them into Islamic ones.
CSPII informs and educates about the existential threat Political Islam poses to non-Islamic (Kafir) civilizations with the aim of peacefully preventing its domination over people’s lives.