Prevalence of FGM/C in Tanzania has decreased steadily between 1996 and 2022 from 17.9% (1) to 8.2% (2). Prevalence has reduced in both urban and rural areas with a drop from 20.3% in 1996 to 10.7% in 2022 in rural areas (1,2) and from 10.0% to 3.5% in urban areas. (1,2).
FGM/C is not uniformly practiced in Tanzania and there are significant variations by region. Within Zanzibar, less than 1% of women and girls have been cut compared to 9% of women and girls on the Mainland (2). When comparing data from 2015-16 and 2022, prevalence has decreased most notably among women aged 15-49 in Dodoma (46.7% to 17.6%) and Singida (30.9% to 19.8%) (3,2). It should be noted that in some regions, there have been increases in prevalence within this time period. These regions include Tanga (13.7% to 18.8%) and Iringa (7.5% to 12.1%) (3, 2).
