Female genital mutilation: EU Commission, “a crime and violation of women’s human rights. We must stop it”

To mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on 6 February, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, the Commission’s Vice-Presidents Věra Jourová and Dubravka Šuica, Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli, and Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen, reaffirmed the EU’s strong commitment to eradicate female genital mutilation with the following statement: “Female genital mutilation is a crime and a violation of women’s human rights. We must stop it”, they wrote. “There is no justification for such a horrific practice. There are, however, very serious negative consequences that affect the physical and mental health of women and girls, including infections, infertility and chronic pain. This practice puts the lives and wellbeing of thousands of women and girls at risk and in some cases it can even lead to their death”. “While many communities have abandoned FGM and cultural norms are changing, leading to a decrease in FGM, the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed progress towards its eradication. In times of confinement, maintaining access to prevention, protection and care services remains more important than ever”.
Valentina Bombelli