Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, and while many will be celebrating, we cannot forget about the women and girls who are struggling in the midst of humanitarian crises across the globe.

In war-ravaged Sudan, women and girls often become victims of violence. 88% of women and girls aged 15-49 in the country have undergone some form of female genital mutilation (FGM).

FGM is an extreme violation of a young person’s body and rights. It’s a practice where a girl’s family or community cuts her external genitalia with a knife or razor, guaranteeing her a life of pain and health complications — if it doesn’t kill her first.

UNFPA is on the frontlines in Sudan and beyond, making sure women and girls suffering through violence and crises get the help and healthcare they need. Your support can provide specialized maternal health services, essential mental health counseling, and so much more. Will you make a lifesaving gift in honor of Mother’s Day? Anything you can give will be matched:

No matter why it happens, the horrors and long-lasting consequences of FGM cannot be overstated. Every year, girls contract HIV/AIDS from unsterile equipment, go into septic shock, and even bleed to death. Those who survive the practice are likely to face health issues, ranging from chronic infections and post-traumatic stress disorder, to childbirth complications and excessive scarring.

“I didn’t know that it was possible not to cut my daughter,” said Zuha, a mother from White Nile state in southern Sudan.

This makes the work we do at UNFPA even more important. In addition to providing mental health services and counseling, we educate communities on the dangers of FGM and encourage them to abandon the practice. At the national level, we work with governments to outlaw the practice.

And we rely on supporters like you to ensure we can keep making a difference.

If you’re willing to join the fight to end FGM and other harmful practices in Sudan and around the world, please make a gift today — that will be doubled! Your generous donation will help keep women and girls safe from dangerous practices like FGM and provide care they so urgently need.

Thank you for being a part of this lifesaving work.

— USA for UNFPA