3/8/2026 By Michele Hanash, Director of Policy and Women’s Programs
Today, the world celebrates International Women’s Day under the theme “Give to Gain,” a reminder that when we invest in girls, our communities grow stronger.
But if we truly believe that, we must confront an uncomfortable truth: female genital mutilation (FGM), a harmful cultural practice with lifelong physical and psychological harms, is happening in the U.S., and legal ambiguity is leaving tens of thousands of girls unprotected.
What’s at stake
The U.S. has a strong federal law—the STOP FGM Act of 2020—but nine states, Alabama, Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, and New Mexico, still have no explicit FGM statute. This structural gap puts tens of thousands of girls at risk.
Why this is a problem
- General child‑abuse laws aren’t enough. Without a clear FGM statute:
- Enforcement becomes inconsistent.
- Frontline professionals lack clear protocols.
- Data collection is muddled.
- Communities hesitate to intervene.
- A girl’s protection depends on her ZIP code, not her rights.
Solution
Ending FGM must be America’s next women’s rights priority.
You can help us fight for an Executive Order for:
- Federal coordination: prioritizing prevention, survivor services, and interagency data sharing.
- State action: Incentives and technical support for states to pass explicit FGM laws.
- Operational fixes: DOJ–state collaboration, HHS‑led survivor supports, and clear protocols to stop “vacation cutting.”
What we will gain
- Better public‑health outcomes and lower long‑term costs.
- Economic stability as survivors regain education and workforce participation.
- Clear guidance for teachers, clinicians, and law enforcement.
- Moral coherence: protection for every girl, everywhere.
- Stronger global human‑rights credibility.
Gender equality cannot be selective. We cannot celebrate women’s gains in corporate boardrooms while failing to protect girls in their most vulnerable years.
In a nation that prides itself on the rule of law, no girl’s bodily integrity should depend on legislative omission. No mandated reporter should hesitate because a statute is vague. No survivor should feel her country lacked the moral clarity to defend her.
Take action
- Your voice and support help ensure that every state becomes a place where girls are protected.
- If you live in one of the 9 states without a ban, urge your legislators to pass an FGM-specific ban.
- Urge President Trump to sign the Executive Order so that every girl in America is truly protected against FGM. Send this sample message to President Trump here.
On this International Women’s Day, if we believe that investing in women and girls strengthens nations, then the path forward is clear: ending FGM must be America’s next women’s rights priority!
Together, we give leadership, gain integrity, and a future where every girl in every state is protected.
That is what “Give to Gain” should mean.
Let’s get to work.