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Orchid Project

Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a devastating practice which leaves girls and women at risk of devastating health consequences. Not only this, but every 12 minutes a girl dies as a result of FGM/C. Orchid Project's mission is to catalyse the movement to end FGM/C by generating and sharing knowledge, enabling collaboration and uniting actors to influence global commitments.

www.orchidproject.org Fundraise for us
info@orchidproject.org

+447531159884

Registered charity no. 1141057

Member since November 2025

About us

FGM/C is the removal or injury to a girl’s external genitals, usually practiced before a girl turns ten, more commonly in Africa and Asia. It is a violation of human rights and a form of gender-based violence that can bring severe and life-long physical and mental health impacts, including chronic infections, bleeding, urination problems, trauma, difficulty with sexual intercourse and severe complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

Today, 230 million women are living with the consequences of FGM/C and every year, 4.3 million girls are cut. A recent study by the University of Birmingham estimates that FGM/C is responsible for more deaths of girls in Africa than HIV/AIDS, measles, or starvation. This marks a major shift in how we understand the issue, making it a global health emergency alongside a human rights violation.

Orchid Project was founded in 2011 with the sole aim of ending female genital cutting, one of the very few organisations around the world to do so. We work to achieve our vision of a world free of FGM/C through:

  1. RESEARCH: We generate research and evidence of what works to end FGM/C to better-equip those working to end it. Our research data is seen as a point of reference by global players in the sector, such as the UN, governments, and the media, who direct their stakeholders to our content and cite our work.

  2. MOVEMENT BUILDING: We support civil society organisations to unite under strong, locally led dedicated regional Networks where they can influence change through joint advocacy and campaigns as well as access capacity building. We co-founded the ‘Asia Network to end FGM’ in 2019 and supported the set-up of the ‘End FGM/C Network Africa’ in 2023. These Networks bring together and represent 40 organisations from 13 countries in Asia and 39 organisations from 14 countries in Africa.

  3. ADVOCACY: We raise the voices of women and girls to influence global and regional policies, actions and funding towards ending FGM/C. We seek to challenge the systems and structures locally, regionally and globally that allow FGM/C to continue. Our advocacy work has contributed to the first UK government commitment to end FGM/C and the inclusion of a target in the SDGs to eliminate FGM/C by 2030.

IMPACT: Our work has contributed to 9,500 communities abandoning FGM/C in West Africa, the decrease of FGM/C rates in Kenyan communities by 27% and educating 35,000 people in East Africa on FGM/C and human rights.