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Five Years of New Research Reveal How Harmful Practices Are Declining in Ethiopia
For generations, practices like female genital mutilation and child marriage have shaped the lives of millions of girls in Ethiopia. Deeply rooted in tradition, social pressure, and misunderstanding, these practices have proven difficult to change.
Alemtsehay Melese, teacher and Gender Club representative at Wendo Wosha Primary and Secondary School, raises awareness about early child marriage in Woshasoyama Kebele, Wendogent District, Sidama Region.
But comprehensive new research into Norwegian Church Aid and partners´ work to eliminate FGM and child marriage shows encouraging results. Change is happening, and it is lasting.
A five-year study following more than 1,600 households across several regions reveals that communities are not only questioning harmful practices, but they are also starting to abandon them.
FGM and child marriage
Female genital mutilation (FGM) refers to procedures that intentionally alter or injure female genital organs for non-medical reasons. There are no health benefits, and the practice can cause severe physical and psychological harm, both immediately and later in life.
FGM can lead to infections, complications in childbirth, and long-term trauma. It is internationally recognised as a violation of the rights, dignity, and bodily integrity of girls and women.
Child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) refers to any marriage where one or both parties are under the age of 18, or where consent is not freely given.
It often ends a girl’s education, limits her opportunities, and exposes her to health risks, including early pregnancy. It is also closely linked to poverty, gender inequality, and social pressure.
Globally, hundreds of millions of women and girls have been affected by these practices, and millions remain at risk
New research
The new report from Norwegian Church Aid and Save with Children based on research carried out by CMI and Econ Insight, conducted between 2021 and 2026, found significant reductions in new cases of FGM among girls aged 0–18, with progress sustained from midline to endline.
In some areas, the change has been dramatic. For example, the prevalence of FGM among girls dropped from 49.5% in 2021 to 25.6% in 2024, which is a major shift in just a few years.
Importantly, this is not just a statistical anomaly. The study tracked girls over time, especially in regions where FGM is carried out in infancy, and it provides strong evidence that this is real behavioural change, not just changes in reporting.
The role of faith leaders
One of the most important drivers of change has been the involvement of faith leaders.
In many communities, religion has long been used, often incorrectly, to justify harmful practices. But when respected leaders began to say clearly that FGM is not a religious requirement, attitudes began to shift.
“We did not know before that this practice was not required by our faith. Now we talk about protecting our daughters,” a community religious leader tells us.
As conversations open, previously unchallenged norms are being questioned, often for the first time. Across communities, people are starting to speak differently about FGM and the number of people that oppose the practice is growing, and the belief that it is a religious obligation is losing ground.
This has proven critical. Faith leaders have helped open space for dialogue, challenged myths and misconceptions, and given legitimacy to families choosing to abandon FGM.
In places like Afar, where FGM was nearly universal, this shift has helped drive some of the fastest and most consistent reductions observed in the study.
Change starts in conversations
Another key insight from the research is that changes happens when communities come together.
Community dialogue has been at the heart of progress. These are structured conversations where women, men, elders, youth, and leaders come together to discuss traditions, pressures, and alternatives.
They create safe spaces where people can say what they have long thought but never voiced, and over time can lead to collective decisions to change.
As one facilitator puts it, “Change is happening, but slowly. Families need support, not fear.”
Girls are finding their voice
The research also highlights a shift in how girls see their futures.
More girls are staying in school. More families are supporting their daughters’ education. And more girls are speaking up about their ambitions.
“Girls today speak with confidence. They say they want to finish school before marriage,” one parent tells us.
This matters because education is one of the strongest protective factors against both FGM and child marriage.
Progress on child marriage is slower, but underway
While change in FGM is significant, the picture is more complex for child marriage.
The study shows early signs of progress, including declining expectations of marriage before 18 and improved school retention.
But progress is uneven, especially in communities facing poverty, drought, or conflict. In such situations, families may still see early marriage as a way to cope with economic pressure.
Ending harmful practices is not only about changing attitudes. It also requires addressing economic realities.
What works
One of the clearest conclusions from the research is that there are no quick fixes.
The most successful programmes were those that combined community dialogue, faith engagement, education for girls, livelihood support for families, and access to services.
These integrated approaches help address both the social norms and the structural factors that sustain harmful practices.
And they require time.
As the report emphasises, change is neither automatic nor linear, but it is possible.
A call to continue
Globally, more than 230 million women and girls have undergone FGM, and millions more remain at risk. This new research offers something that is often missing in this field: solid evidence that change can happen at scale and can last.
These insights are highly relevant for NCA and Save the Children Norway’s ongoing programming and advocacy efforts, in close collaboration with national partners
Even in the face of conflict, displacement, and economic shocks, reductions in FGM were sustained over time, suggesting that once social norms begin to shift, they can hold.
The progress seen across Ethiopia shows that communities are ready for change, and trusted leaders can unlock it.
Read the full report here:
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