Bid to do away with FGM gets boost as UN chief launches global campaign

NAIROBI, KENYA: United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has launched a landmark global media campaign against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nairobi in a fresh bid to eliminate the retrogressive practice.

Speaking Thursday at the UN Complex in Gigiri, Mr Ban said the campaign recognises the critical role of media in advocating the end of FGM. "Change can happen through sustained media attention on the damaging public health consequences of FGM as well as on the abuse of the rights of hundreds of thousands of women and girls around the world," the UN chief said.