CSPII FGM INDEX 2025

Brno, Czech Republic — CSPII FGM Index 2025 Study Finds Global Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Rates Higher Than Previously Estimated, With Up to 304 Million Women Affected, Majority Strongly Linked to the Islamic Doctrine

CSPII’s comprehensive approach provides the most extensive global dataset on FGM to date, offering a clearer understanding of the scope and demographic patterns of the practice worldwide.

Main Findings:

• A new study by the Center for the Study of Political Islam International (CSPII) estimates that between 291 and 304 million women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation (FGM). This figure is significantly higher than UNICEF’s 2024 estimate of 230 million. 304 million represents 1 in 13 girls/women alive today, and is the equivalent of approx. the entire female population of the USA, Canada, Mexico and Germany combined.
• Unlike UNICEF, which bases its data on 31 countries, CSPII’s survey includes numerical data from 77 countries, covering a far broader scope—including nations where FGM has recently emerged, such as those in Europe, North America, and Australia.
• 20 additional countries are identified where anecdotal evidence suggests FGM is practiced, though no numerical data is available. Of particular concern is Brunei, where indicators suggest a high FGM rate.
• 77 to 86 percent of global FGM cases are attributed to Islamic populations, while 14 to 23 percent occur in non-Islamic populations.
• Between 21.7% and 25.3% of Islamic females globally have undergone some form of FGM in comparison to 1.4% to 2.4% of non-Islamic females.
• Islamic doctrine supports FGM. Therefore, FGM practiced under the influence of Islamic doctrine should be considered as Islamic.
• The countries with the highest rates of FGM are 1. Somalia (with 99% of its female population having undergone FGM), 2. Indonesia (87%), 3. Guinea (84%), 4. Mali (81%) and 5. Oman (78%).
• The Western countries with the highest rates of FGM are 1. Sweden (with 1.3% of its female population having undergone FGM), 2. Norway (0.63%), 3. Switzerland (0.5%), 4. Canada (0.47%) and 5. the Netherlands (0.46%).
• The countries with the greatest numbers of FGM are 1. Indonesia (with 121 million girls/women having undergone FGM), 2. Egypt (35 million), 3. Ethiopia (29 million), 4. Sudan (15 million) and 5. Nigeria (14 million).
• The Western countries with the greatest numbers of FGM are 1. the USA (with over 500,000 girls/women having undergone FGM), 2. the UK (137,000), 3. France (125,000), 4. Germany (104,000) and 5. Canada (95,000).

🔴 The full CSPII FGM INDEX 2025 study is available here.

“The CSPII FGM INDEX 2025 finds that female genital mutilation is more common than previously thought and that it significantly correlates with the influence of Islamic doctrine, a correlation that most organizations combating FGM minimize, deny, or are unaware of. However, 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 clearly showing the link 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 of the women they will 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

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.

Contacts

• mail: [email protected]