On the occasion of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, an event was held on 6 February to raise awareness of the aftermath of female genital mutilation and discuss initiatives to achieve the eradication of this harmful practice by 2030, as required by Sustainable Development Goal 5. The event was organised by MEP Soraya Rodríguez Ramos together with End Female Genital Mutilation European Network (the European Network to End Female Genital Mutilation), the Presidency of the Council and other MEPs from different groups of the European Parliament.
During the event, Soraya Rodríguez referred to the shocking data on female genital mutilation: if female genital mutilation continues at current levels, at least 68 million girls will be subject to it by 2030. The MEP also sent a hopeful message: “over the past two decades, the prevalence rates of female genital mutilation have fallen by a quarter and the proportion of girls and women in high-prevalence countries opposed to its realisation has doubled,” she said, also appealing to the need to continue raising awareness about this harmful practice and address its root causes.
The MEP also referred to the importance of governments implementing concrete measures at local, national and international levels and noted that the adoption of the proposal for the Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence is a major step forward at EU level: “the Directive will be a means to ensure that all Member States explicitly recognise female genital mutilation as a crime and will allow us to standardise its prosecution and improve the availability of victim support measures at EU level.”
During the event, the issue of preventive measures and the need to incorporate them in all areas of work, especially in health, employment, asylum and education, was also addressed.
Finally, Soraya Rodríguez thanked the representatives of civil society for their immense and essential work for the rights of women and girls. At least 4 million girls are at risk every year to suffer female genital mutilation. All girls need hope. From the European Parliament we will remain steadfast in our commitment to fight this scourge,” he concluded.
Link to the full event:
