Abstract
In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution urging the international community to intensify global efforts to eliminate female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). It also called upon States, the United Nations system, civil society and all stakeholders to continue to observe 6 February as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM/C and to use the day to enhance awareness raising campaigns and to take concrete actions against female genital mutilations. FGM/C is a type of violence against women and girls which impairs their development potential and impacts the societies in which they live and work, their children, their families and ultimately their countries. FGM/C causes a large number of physical and psychological problems and complications and can even lead to death. It imposes unnecessary suffering and prolonged pain. The international community recognized that FGM/C is an important development challenge that affects millions of women and girls in the world. Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls) includes a target on eliminating all harmful practices against women, such as female genital mutilation by 2030. To mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM/C, the authors are pleased to share this Compendium of International and National Legal Frameworks on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting. It describes the international and regional instruments that address FGM/C as well as the national legislations adopted to outlaw FGM/C. This is a practical online tool to empower those fighting FGM/C.
Highlights
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)[3] is a development issue and a form of violence against women and girls that affects at least 200 million women in the world[4].female genital mutations (FGM)/C is a harmful practice proven to impact the physical and mental health of affected women and girls[5] from the moment of the cutting, with prolonged and irreversible consequences during their entire lives[6].Studies show that FGM/C has economic and social consequences[7] and a high obstetric cost[8] a comprehensive study on the exact extent of these economic, health and social costs is still to be carried out
Section 323B. (1) Any person who takes a child from the State, or arranges for a child to be taken from the State, with the intention of having female genital mutilation performed on the child is guilty of a crime
33B—Removal of child from State for genital mutilation (1) A person must not take a child from the State, or arrange for a child to be taken from the State, with the intention of having the child subjected to female genital mutilation
Summary
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)[3] is a development issue and a form of violence against women and girls that affects at least 200 million women in the world[4]. The Compendium of International and National Legal Frameworks on Female Genital Mutilation (the “Compendium”) was prepared to contribute to this urgent and important development debate with the understanding that the knowledge of the law is an important empowerment tool to end FGM/C. It provides a survey of the key international and regional instruments as well as domestic legislation as they relate to the prohibition of FGM/C. We want to be the generation witnessing the end of this practice and hope you will find this Compendium useful
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