A representative from Wadi joined the Women Deliver 2026 Conference in Australia to discuss the ongoing campaign against Female Genitale Mutilation in Iraqi-Kurdistan and the broader Middle East.
(Picture: Panel during the Women Deliver Conference)
A few weeks ago, Wadi joined thousands of advocates in Melbourne, Australia for Women Deliver 2026. It was a week defined by global solidarity, but for us, it was also a vital opportunity to bring attention to the continued lack of visibility surrounding Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the Middle East—a region that remains frequently overlooked in global discourse. Our goal throughout the four-day event was to create dialogue with other experts, organizations, networks, and institutions – to move past misconceptions and focus on evidence-based solutions. We were able to share highlights of over 25 years of experience leading a successful project that has lowered FGM rates in Iraqi Kuridistan dramatically.
We also wanted to engage with other organisations working in similar contexts to gain insights on their good practices and approaches to ending the practice while also respecting the complex cultural and religious contexts of each region. Our goal was also to speak to the future and to highlight the challenge it is for us to work in these countries when institutional donors are not prioritizing this issue in the Middle East and Asia. We know through small activist or medical studies that so many areas are in urgent need of funding for research and advocacy efforts, but also in need of international support, and high level advocacy at the governmental level that small NGOs and CSOs cannot access.
Beyond the Spotlight: FGM in Under-Represented Regions
Our participation began April 26 with the all day pre-conference event, “United for Action: Global Solidarity to End FGM/C.” Isis Elgibali, who has been working to bring the forward the urgent need to spotlight FGM in the Middle East at a European and International level was honored to speak on a panel alongside Professor Angela Dawson and Sean Callaghan, moderated by Warda Warsame.
The core of Wadi’s message is urgent: We cannot end what we refuse to see.
Wadi started the END FGM Middle East and Asia Campaign in 2013 to change the narrative, collect data, and bring global attention to the reality, now in 2026 there has been some movement on the issue, but we are falling very far short of having real change, as there is almost no recognition of the reality. There are many countries where we have an idea, or there have been small scale activist research, or hospital led studies, but in general many governments prefer to minimize this topic, or a mild admission when activists make breakthrough studies, but then there is no country wide research, or national action plan.Certain countries have in the past 10 years updated their child protection laws, withough mention of FGM directly, instead using broad terms like ‘unnecessary harm’ leaving serious loopholes. Many of these communities are at the very beginning of their journey facing this complex topic. And some countries have really shown that they are willing to work on things, but if the pressure is not coming organically from within their societies then change will always be sort of half-hearted. Wadi stressed the need to support both financially and with technical knowledge the organic movements that exist in each affected country.
There continues to be in some Middle Eastern countries the narrative that FGM is often dismissed as an “immigrant problem”, an ‘imported practice’ labels. But the reality is that In the UAE: A 2011 survey found a 34% prevalence rate among Emirati women. While state hospitals have banned the practice, a lack of nationwide surveys and legal loopholes means the practice persists in private clinics, potentially turning the region into a “medicalization hub” for the diaspora. In Saudi Arabia & Kuwait: Despite long-standing denials, a 2019 study in Jeddah showed an 18% prevalence rate among local women. In Kuwait, small-scale studies from the mid 2010s have suggested rates as high as 38%, yet official action remains stagnant.
In Oman local activists have challenged for years the perception that FGM is rare in Oman, revealing prevalence rates between 78% and 95% in certain governorates like Dakhiliyah. Although the government clarified the 2014 Child Law in 2019 to prohibit the practice, the lack of recent, large-scale national data remains a primary hurdle in implementing these legal protections effectively.
In Iran activists continue to report that FGM is practiced in specific provinces, at great risk to their personal safety they continue to support awareness raising in those communities. In Iraq, while the Kurdistan Region (KRG) has made strides, recent shifts in personal status laws in central Iraq—including the legalization of child marriage by the parliment in Baghdad—represent a significant setback for the rights of women and children.
So these small examples spotlight the continued need for comprehensive data collection to pinpoint what is happening, where and to whom, as a very first step.
The Kurdistan Journey – A Potential Model
In a second panel moderated by Orchid Project, “Data Driven Change: Closing the Data Gap to End FGM in Asia,” Ms Elgibali had the opportunity to share Wadi’s long-term work in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG). The other panelists were Dr. Bodiroza UNFPA, Ms. Kamanga-Njikho UNICEF, Dr Pambudi Ministry of Health Malaysia, and Ms Cowan DFAT Australia.
Wadi’s journey began in 2004, not by leading with FGM, but by providing literacy courses and basic medical information. By creating safe spaces for education, we built the trust necessary for women to begin sharing their personal experiences. This “bottom-up” approach allowed us to move from anecdotal evidence to systematic, periodic data collection, which led to enough social pressure to advocate for a law banning the practice, which the KRG parliament passed in 2011. For an in-depth look at our journey we ask you to read our booklet.
In the panel Wadi talked about the power of activist or local NGO or medical clinic based data collection, the impact of the bottom up approach, and the community ownership of the issue have been key tools in the success of our strategy. Change is much less effective when it is imposed in a ‘top-down’ approach, and while having a law banning the practice was essential, Wadi shared the impact of its non-punitive positive community based, long-term engagement and the success that it has brought in lowering the effective FGM rate in one generation, and that two regions are now declared ‘FGM Free’. Wadi wanted to emphasize the need for more cooperation in South-South cooperation and sharing of effective approaches, as well as the need to include religious clerics, and meet affected communities ‘where they are’ both physically as many women do not have the ability to travel freely, and in a cultural and religious context. Wadi also directly asked for UNICEF and UNFPA to continue supporting these efforts, and that they as international institutions advocate for the urgency of funding, support, resources, and provide advocacy at the government level for the Middle East region.
Building Global Bridges
Networking at Women Deliver was a meaningful experience that went beyond just exchanging cards; it’s about building a “South-South” cooperation that respects local contexts.
One of the most encouraging aspects of the event was the opportunity for “South-South” cooperation. Meeting with the Indonesian Women Ulama reinforced a key Wadi principle: we must work with religious communities, not against them. Acknowledging the complexity of religion and engaging with religious councils is the only way to reach those we wish to uplift. By speaking with clerics and community leaders with respect, we can foster a shared commitment to the health of girls. We agreed that the ongoing narrative in some academic western contexts that continue to say ‘religion plays no role’ is not particularly helpful neither in the Middle Eastern nor in the Asian context. While FGM is not in the Quran, we must engage with religious councils to address the clerics who support it. Respectful engagement—not alienation—is the only way forward.
We also looked toward the Asia Network as a potential blueprint for a future Middle East network. Their success in building multi-country cooperation over the last few years shows what is possible when we share resources and strategies. We hope to replicate their model to restart the STOP FGM Middle East Campaing and hopefully create a network within the next few years. The network in cooperation with Orchid Project pledged their support, as we work on this topic. A real positive step, and we look forward to working with and learning from one another.
Ms Elgibali with support from END FM EU also met with the Victoria Sexual Assault/Crimes Unit in Australia. Who expressed their interest in learning about which communities could be affected and they expressed their interest in training – or awareness sessions to better support Iranian and other Middle Eastern immigrant communities.
Looking Ahead
Our journey doesn’t end in Melbourne. One of the most significant outcomes of Women Deliver was the renewed synergy with partners like the Orchid Project. By joining forces and leveraging our collective expertise, we are energized to work toward a common goal: restarting the STOP FGM Middle East campaign.
We are leaving Australia with a clear vision—to turn these global connections into local action, restart our regional advocacy, and ensure that every girl is seen. This issue continues to struggle not just for international attention but also for financial support, you can support these efforts here.
Wadi’s participation in the Women Deliver 2026 Conference was supported by Orchid Project.
Wadi 
