Progress has been made in the elimination of female genital mutilation, as girls aged 15 to 19 years are one third less likely to undergo the practice compared to 30 years ago. There is also growing opposition to the practice. In countries affected by female genital mutilation, 7 in 10 girls and women think the practice should end. As the global community faces the COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecendented health crisis with economic, social and political implications, such gains risk being rolled back. While evidence from the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa showed a decrease in female genital mutilation due to containment measures, the opposite appears to be the case with COVID-19.