Full Breakdown
$15.5 Million “Her Horizon” Fund Aims to Accelerate the End of Female Genital Mutilation
By Drooid · · How we work
Launch of the Her Horizon Fund
The US-based Wallace Global Fund has seeded a new “Her Horizon Fund” with $14 million, complemented by a $1.5 million anonymous contribution, for a total of $15.5 million (£11.4 million). The fund’s stated goal is to pool $100 million from donors to create a tipping point toward ending female genital mutilation (FGM) within a generation. The launch was announced at a Justice for Girls gathering in Kenya, where organizers described the momentum as “incredible.”
Funding Landscape and Legal Setbacks
Frontline organisations have faced a sharp decline in donor support. The United Nations-run UNFPA-UNICEF joint programme, the largest FGM initiative, saw its budget cut by 45 % last year, falling from $29.6 million to $16.3 million. Simultaneously, legal protections are under pressure: the Gambia’s supreme court is reviewing a constitutional challenge to the 2015 ban on FGM, and Sierra Leone’s new Child Rights Act does not prohibit the practice. These developments underscore the mixed picture highlighted by senior adviser Susan Gibbs.
Scope of the Practice
FGM affects more than 230 million women and girls worldwide, according to the article’s opening data. UN statistics indicate declines in prevalence in several countries, yet the practice remains widespread: over 144 million women and girls in Africa, 80 million in Asia, and 6 million in the Middle East continue to endure the procedure.
Official Statements & Responses
Ifrah Ahmed, Somali-Irish activist and founder of the Ifrah Foundation, noted that the fund will enable activists to continue their community-led efforts.
Verbatim Quote
- “By giving $14m, the global fund will ensure activists can continue their work in this area.” — Somalia — Ifrah Ahmed, Somali-Irish activist and survivor of FGM, founder of the Ifrah Foundation.
