Credit: Bongyereirwe
On Tuesday 21 April 2026, UNICEF Luxembourg published a new study estimating, for the first time, the number of girls and women affected by or at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the national context.
According to the estimates, around 3,300 girls and women living in Luxembourg have undergone FGM or are at risk, including about 2,200 who are likely to have already undergone the practice and nearly 1,100 girls aged 0 to 19 who are considered at risk.
“This study makes visible a reality that is still too often ignored. Behind these figures, there are life stories, real risks and the need to act in a coordinated way,” said Paul Heber, Chief Communication, UNICEF Luxembourg.
Carried out in collaboration with artificial intelligence (AI) training programme designer, GrewIA, the study was based on a methodology combining data from the Luxembourg population register and international prevalence data, notably from UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO).
“It is not about identifying individual cases, but about providing reliable orders of magnitude to guide public policies, better target prevention and strengthen the protection of the girls concerned,” said Ivan Nourdin, co-founder of GrewIA.
“Beyond the estimates, the study also provides valuable insight into demographic and territorial dynamics and, above all, it sets out concrete recommendations to better prevent, detect and support,” added Alexandra Gardeur, Advocacy Officer, UNICEF Luxembourg.
According to the study, female genital mutilation constitutes “a serious violation of the rights of the child and the rights of women”. It has lasting physical, psychological and social consequences. Despite a clear legal framework in Luxembourg, these situations remain largely under-detected, notably due to a “lack of awareness and training among professionals”.
The study set out 20 recommendations for authorities and field actors, focusing on prevention and awareness, care and support, asylum and migration policies, the criminal law framework, data collection and research, and support for international programmes, while also identifying the need to strengthen community-based actions by involving more people from the communities concerned.
“To be effective, prevention actions must be adapted, inclusive and developed together with the communities concerned. Peer awareness work is essential to create lasting change,” explained Pascale Zaourou, Coordinator at GAMS Luxembourg.
The study showed that globally more than 230 million girls and women have undergone FGM and around four million girls remain at risk each year, while reductions in international development funding risk weakening prevention and support efforts.
