17 Ways to End FGM/C
A companion publication to the 2016 Annual Report of the UNFPA–UNICEF Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), 17 Ways to End FGM/C offers a closer look at the human stories, challenges and breakthroughs behind the statistics. Through a narrative approach, the publication reveals how social norms can shift when communities become the primary agents of change.
17 Ways to End FGM/C brings together seventeen stories from across the program’s countries, each revealing a different strategy through which communities are confronting and redefining tradition.
Cover photo © UNFPA, Luca Zordan
The publication explores how change unfolds on the ground—driven by dialogue, courage, and creativity. From youth ambassadors and religious leaders to former practitioners and health professionals, the stories trace the diverse forms of leadership emerging in the movement to end FGM/C.
Visually, the publication mirrors this diversity and unity. The design combines narrative text, photography, and a clear typographic structure to establish a rhythm that alternates between data analysis and human storytelling. The result is a document that communicates both clarity and empathy, translating field experience into a collective narrative of progress and resilience.
Each narrative reflects a local reality—shaped by its own history, language, and social fabric—yet connected by a shared determination to protect the rights and dignity of girls and women.
