ETHIOPIA: Catholic Church and Partners Unite in Addis Ababa to End FGM
Habtamu Abrdew Beture
In a powerful demonstration of interfaith and humanitarian solidarity, the Ethiopian Catholic Church joined forces with international partners on February 26, 2026, to renew a sacred pledge: ensuring every girl in Ethiopia grows up free from the trauma of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
The high-level advocacy event, hosted in the capital, brought together Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), Catholic Caritas Ethiopia (ECC-SDCO), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The gathering served as both a reflection on a decade of progress and a strategic roadmap to eliminate the practice by 2030.
The Ethiopian Catholic Church has long been a foundational voice in this movement. Since its landmark formal declaration against FGM in 2013, the Church has moved beyond rhetoric, integrating the fight for bodily integrity into its extensive healthcare network.
“Our commitment is not just a signature on a document; it is found in the healing hands of our nurses and the courageous voices of our clergy,” noted a representative during the forum.
The impact of the Church’s medical intervention is significant. Operating through dedicated health facilities, the Church has provided a lifeline to thousands of women:
Despite the progress, the symposium identified “service gaps” that still leave many rural women vulnerable. To accelerate the total eradication of FGM, the partners committed to three strategic pillars: Dignified Care to ensure that survivors are treated with the utmost respect, empathy, and holistic support, Robust Referral Systems: to strengthen the link between community religious leaders and health facilities to ensure no woman suffers in silence and Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration to foster a “united front” between faith-based organizations and international agencies like the UNFPA to pool resources and expertise.
The event concluded with a call to action for all religious leaders to utilize their platforms to preach a message of protection and love, reinforcing the belief that the human body is a gift to be cherished, not altered.
