Speaking at the Girl Summit – a major international conference in London designed to highlight the issues of FGM and child marriage – the home secretary, Theresa May, said the cross-party unit would help protect thousands of girls across the country.
The unit, which could operate in a similar way to the government's forced marriage unit, has been a key demand of campaigners against FGM. "These measures will ensure that we can maintain the momentum on stamping out these harmful practices," May said.
The home secretary said the government would also strengthen laws around FGM, and would hold parents responsible if their child was a victim of the practice. May also announced a consultation into making it mandatory for professionals to report FGM and said victims going through court cases would be given lifelong anonymity.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/22/fgm-unit-theresa-may-forced-marriage-girl-summit
Showing posts with label FGM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FGM. Show all posts
Tuesday, 22 July 2014
Sunday, 1 June 2014
FGM - It is happening and what can we do to stop it
There can be few more gruesome or horrible crimes than the mutilation of a woman - the tragedy is that this crime is carried out primarily often by parents due to a belief that this is the right thing to do.
The practice is an ethnic marker, rooted in gender inequality, ideas about purity, modesty and aesthetics, and attempts to control women's sexuality. It is supported by both women and men in countries that practise it; it is practised as a cultural ritual by groups in 27 countries in sub Saharan Africa and North East Africa, notably Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan and Ethiopia, and parts of the Middle East including Yemen and Iraq.
Crucially for us in the UK it is still carried out by some of the immigrant communities living here. We do not know the numbers but it is still happening.
The health effects depend on the procedure but can include recurrent infections, chronic pain, cysts, an inability to get pregnant, complications during childbirth and fatal bleeding.
FGM has long been outlawed in most of the countries in which it occurs, but the laws are poorly enforced. There has been some effort since the 1970s to eradicate the practice but in 2012 the UN voted unanimously to take all necessary steps to end it. This strongly led by the British, and I am very proud of the UK governments role.
My speech on the issue in the House sets out my approach in detail: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2014-03-10a.1.0&s=%28FGM%29+speaker%3A24962#g3.2
I am pleased to say that the Home Affairs Select Committee plan to follow my advice as set out the in the speech. I look forward to the day when this abhorrent crime is no longer happening across the world or even in the UK
The practice is an ethnic marker, rooted in gender inequality, ideas about purity, modesty and aesthetics, and attempts to control women's sexuality. It is supported by both women and men in countries that practise it; it is practised as a cultural ritual by groups in 27 countries in sub Saharan Africa and North East Africa, notably Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan and Ethiopia, and parts of the Middle East including Yemen and Iraq.
Crucially for us in the UK it is still carried out by some of the immigrant communities living here. We do not know the numbers but it is still happening.
The health effects depend on the procedure but can include recurrent infections, chronic pain, cysts, an inability to get pregnant, complications during childbirth and fatal bleeding.
FGM has long been outlawed in most of the countries in which it occurs, but the laws are poorly enforced. There has been some effort since the 1970s to eradicate the practice but in 2012 the UN voted unanimously to take all necessary steps to end it. This strongly led by the British, and I am very proud of the UK governments role.
My speech on the issue in the House sets out my approach in detail: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2014-03-10a.1.0&s=%28FGM%29+speaker%3A24962#g3.2
I am pleased to say that the Home Affairs Select Committee plan to follow my advice as set out the in the speech. I look forward to the day when this abhorrent crime is no longer happening across the world or even in the UK
Thursday, 27 February 2014
Gove guidance welcome, as FGM a horrific crime, but victims need 2 give evidence to get convictions
I welcome the decision of Michael Gove to write to all schools in the country asking them to help protect girls from female genital mutilation (FGM). Schools will receive guidance before Easter, aimed at stopping "this very serious form of child abuse".
FGM, sometimes called female circumcision, involves the cutting or cutting away of external female genital organs. Official figures put the number of victims of FGM in the UK at about 66,000, but this is thought to be an underestimate. It is a crime that my ultimate boss, Theresa May, has been pursuing very forcefully, but we need victims and others who know this is happening to come forward in order to secure convictions against this barabaric act against children.
Michael made the announcement after meeting campaigners, including the Bristol student Fahma Mohamed, on Tuesday.
Full details here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-26352877
FGM, sometimes called female circumcision, involves the cutting or cutting away of external female genital organs. Official figures put the number of victims of FGM in the UK at about 66,000, but this is thought to be an underestimate. It is a crime that my ultimate boss, Theresa May, has been pursuing very forcefully, but we need victims and others who know this is happening to come forward in order to secure convictions against this barabaric act against children.
Michael made the announcement after meeting campaigners, including the Bristol student Fahma Mohamed, on Tuesday.
Full details here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-26352877
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