Guidance Document on the Use of the Confidante Tool to Track New or Recent Cases of Female Genital Mutilation

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is internationally recognised as a violation of human rights that is rooted in social norms including harmful gender norms. In countries where it is prevalent, FGM contributes to bottlenecks that curtail realisation of full potential by girls and women. In settings where FGM is illegal, practising communities may adopt strategies such as cutting girls at very young ages, performing supposedly less severe cuts, or conducting FGM in secret, and thus underreport the occurrence of the practice due to fear of legal consequences. This may hamper tracking and/or measuring the effectiveness and/or impact of interventions and actions to end the practice.