Global leaders gather in Kenya to launch new fund against FGM/C

About 150 leaders from 36 countries will meet in Naivasha, Kenya, starting Sept. 2 for a survivor-led convening focused on ending female genital mutilation/cutting and child marriage. The gathering will unveil a proposed $100 million fund and a five-year roadmap aimed at accelerating support for frontline and survivor-led efforts.

Why it matters: - The Naivasha convening is designed to push new money and coordinated strategy toward ending female genital mutilation/cutting and child marriage. - The event puts survivors and grassroots leaders in charge of shaping funding and policy priorities. - The push comes as global aid and gender-equality funding have tightened, creating a larger gap between movement needs and available resources.

What happened: - Around 150 global leaders, including survivors of FGM/C and child marriage from 36 countries, will gather in Naivasha, Kenya, for the three-day Justice for Girls convening starting Sept. 2, 2026. - The event will launch a new pooled fund meant to support the movement to end FGM/C and advance justice for girls. - The gathering will also unveil a five-year roadmap called "Unstoppable: Our Movement-led Collective Vision for Ending FGM/C." - A three-part series of events begins Aug. 30 in Nairobi and Naivasha. - Fashion for Change opens the series on Aug. 30 in Nairobi as a survivor- and African Queen-led runway event. - A high-level policy event follows on Sept. 1 in Nairobi, co-hosted by the British High Commission and the Anti-FGM Board of Kenya.

The details: - Fashion for Change will use fashion and storytelling to challenge the social norms that sustain FGM/C. - The Sept. 1 policy meeting will bring together senior government representatives, diplomatic missions, multilateral organizations, funders, survivor leaders and civil society groups. - The Nairobi policy discussions will focus on renewing political and financial commitments and strengthening collaboration across governments, communities and civil society. - The Naivasha convening will feature a new pooled fund seeded with a major commitment from Wallace Global Fund. - The fund aims to raise $100 million. - The fund is intended to accelerate work to end FGM/C, especially frontline and survivor-led work that has long lacked resources. - Survivors and activists will help shape the fund’s strategy and grantmaking decisions. - The five-year roadmap was co-created by survivors, grassroots organizations, funders and policymakers. - The roadmap explicitly links FGM/C and child marriage. - The roadmap sets shared priorities around survivor leadership, narrative change and cross-movement collaboration. - Media can access an embargoed press release with more fund details when the embargo lifts Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 11:00 AM EAT. - The press kit includes key facts and statistics on FGM/C and child marriage, survivor and expert quotes, photos and background materials.

Between the lines: - The timing reflects a broader funding squeeze for international development and gender-equality work. - One year after the dismantling of USAID, U.S. foreign aid disbursements fell from $72 billion to $47 billion, with thousands of development programs cut. - OECD data showed 20 of 32 Development Assistance Committee members reduced funding for gender equality in 2021-2022, with further declines expected after major cuts by several donor governments. - The convening builds on the 2014 Girls Summit hosted by the UK government and UNICEF, but centers a different lesson: people closest to the issue should lead the response. - Coalitions including the Global Platform for Action to End FGM/C and Girls Not Brides are supporting the effort.

What's next: - Organizers will use the Nairobi policy meeting to shape the priorities of the Naivasha convening. - The pooled fund launch is set for Sept. 2 at 11:00 AM EAT. - Survivors and community leaders are expected to guide the next phase of agenda-setting, fundraising and grantmaking. - The broader goal is to strengthen partnerships and renew commitments to protect women and girls worldwide.

The bottom line: - The Kenya convening is trying to turn survivor leadership into a bigger funding and policy machine for ending FGM/C and child marriage.