CEO of Merck Foundation, Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej (Ret.) with Fashion Designers displaying designs on STOP FGM.
I am happy to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation 2026, together with my dear sisters the First Ladies of Africa through our “More Than a Mother” and “Educating Linda” programs.
FGM is a harmful practice that violates the rights and dignity of millions of girls and women across Africa and beyond. It has no health benefits, only harms. Together with my dear sisters, the African Ladies, we are committed to breaking the silence, raising awareness, and empowering communities to stand against this deeply rooted tradition. Together, we can create a future where every girl has the freedom to live a healthy, empowered, and dignified life.
Through a specially dedicated episode of our very popular “Our Africa” TV program, we have communicated in detail the harms of FGM and appealed to African communities to stop this harmful practice. “Our Africa by Merck Foundation” is a pan African TV program conceptualized, produced, directed, and co-hosted by me.
I invite you all to watch the special episode on FGM here:
Moreover, together with African First Ladies, we annually launch our More Than a Mother Awards to recognize the best media work, films, songs, and fashion designs that raise awareness on ending FGM, supporting girls’ education, and addressing other sensitive social issues. I encourage the journalists, filmmakers, fashion designers, singers and young talets in these fields to apply for our awards. You may share your work with us here.
As per WHO, around the world, over 230 million girls and women have undergone FGM. Africa accounts for the largest share of this total, with over 144 million. This accounts to more than 60% of the total cases.
I firmly believe that education is one of the most essential pillars of women’s empowerment and plays a vital role in eliminating harmful practices like FGM, which serve no benefit to anyone. Therefore, through our “Educating Linda”, in partnership with First Ladies of Africa, we have provided year to date more than 1200 annual scholarships to high-performing and underprivileged African schoolgirls from 19 countries, enabling them to complete their studies and reach their potential. Through these scholarships we have supported the education of girls from several African countries including Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Moreover, we have has benefitted thousands of girls by distributing essential school items, and through their awareness campaign which includes releasing many inspiring children’s storybooks, animation films and songs to support girl education.