Wallace Global Fund Backs Landmark New Fund to End FGM/C, Unveiled at Justice for Girls Global Convening

NAIVASHA, Kenya, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, a catalytic new fund supporting the frontline movement to end female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) was launched at the landmark Justice for Girls convening, a gathering of 150 movement leaders from 36 countries. Seeded with $14 million from Wallace Global Fund, Her Horizon Fund is the largest known philanthropic commitment backing the frontline organizations working to end FGM/C.

Wallace Global Fund, a U.S.-based philanthropy that has prioritized FGM/C since its inception, announced an additional contribution of $1.5 million from an anonymous donor. Her Horizon Fund's ultimate goal is to pool $100 million from bilateral, philanthropic, and corporate donors to reach a "tipping point" toward ending FGM/C in a generation.

"My mother, Gordie Wallace, devoted her life to ending FGM/C, beginning almost 50 years ago, when governments, UN organizations, and private donors were all ignoring the issue," said H. Scott Wallace, co-chair of Wallace Global Fund's Board of Directors. "She was inspired by the passion, courage, and commitment of the FGM/C movement and its frontline leaders, a focus that has always guided Wallace Global Fund's grantmaking."

The launch of Her Horizon Fund comes at a time when donor funding is in freefall. Bilateral aid budgets are being slashed, and humanitarian and development assistance is in steep decline, particularly for survivor-led work in local communities. Her Horizon Fund is an urgent intervention in response to this funding shortfall and will provide a direct pipeline of support to frontline organizations.

"Ending FGM/C demands sustained investment in the movements driving change," said Scott Fitzmorris, Wallace Global Fund co-chair. "We invite other donors to join us so that the momentum building toward ending FGM/C becomes inevitable and unstoppable."

In designing the new fund, Wallace Global Fund carried out a comprehensive multi-year field assessment and extensive consultations with survivors, donors, and movement actors. Survivors and activists will continue to shape the Fund's strategic direction and grant making decisions.

"Her Horizon Fund is a much-needed resource for frontline organizations," said Ifrah Ahmed, founder and CEO of Ifrah Foundation, which works to advance the abandonment of FGM in Somalia, where the practice is nearly universal. "We know exactly what it will take to end FGM. We welcome this important new fund that is following the lead of our movements."

Unlike other FGM/C funding vehicles, Her Horizon Fund will be global in scope. FGM/C—the partial or total removal of female genitalia for nonmedical reasons—has been endured by over 230 million women and girls, including over 144 million in Africa, 80 million in Asia, and 6 million in the Middle East. FGM/C can cause immediate health complications such as severe pain, excessive bleeding, and infection, as well as long-term consequences, including complications during childbirth, chronic pain, and lasting psychological trauma. It is a leading cause of death in the countries in which it is practiced.

Although ending FGM/C is enshrined in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, donor funding is still profoundly misaligned with the scale and urgency of the challenge. This is particularly true for the resources available to support work led by frontline activists and survivors. Without sustained, large-scale investment in the women and girls who are leading change in their own communities, millions more will continue to be harmed.

"The Justice for Girls convening is the ideal launch for Her Horizon Fund," said Mariya Taher, cofounder of Sahiyo and a key organizer and supporter of this week's events. "We have gathered in Kenya from around the world to strengthen alignment, share bold strategies, and accelerate collective progress, and Her Horizon Fund will sustain this momentum long after the convening ends."

Her Horizon Fund will be housed at Women Win, a women's fund based in the Netherlands. Grantmaking operations will begin in 2027. For more information visit www.herhorizonfund.org.

About Wallace Global Fund
Founded by former U.S. Vice President Henry A. Wallace, Wallace Global Fund supports people-powered movements working to advance human rights, defend democracy, and fight for a healthy planet. The Fund supports these movements through grantmaking, mission-aligned investing, and philanthropic advocacy. It has prioritized work to end FGM/C and advance women's rights since its inception.

About Women Win
Her Horizon Fund will be hosted by Women Win, a global women's fund based in the Netherlands. Founded in 2007, Women Win is dedicated to the vision of a future where every girl and woman can freely exercise their rights.

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SOURCE Wallace Global Fund