Most adolescent girls and female caregivers responded to the surveys that the practice should continue. In Afar, 59% of girls responded in Favour of continuation, as did 66% of female caregivers.

• Across regions, most girls have undergone FGM/C.
• More girls in Afar than Somali have already undergone FGM/C – but this is because of differences in the way FGM/C is practised.
• In Afar girls are cut as infants; in Somali, they are cut in late childhood.
• Mothers are the primary deciders of if and when girls will undergo FGM/C.
• Nearly all girls are cut by traditional cutters – but there is growing evidence of medicalization in Somali.