Brussels, 15/06/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 14 June, the European Parliament voted through by 564 to 2 a resolution on ending female genital mutilation (FGM) to send a strong signal to the United Nations, member states and the European Commission to do what they can to penalise people carrying out FGM.
Each year, some three million girls around the world are at risk from MGF, some180,000 of them in Europe! These are disgusting figures for a barbaric tradition unrelated to religion, says the EP, and it causes irreparable damage to female genital organs without any medical justification. MEPs call on the United Nations General Assembly, which will be meeting shortly, to introduce a resolution calling for an end to FGM around the world, harmonising measures taken and drawing up recommendations and guidelines.
They also want the United Nations and civil society to earmark financial resources to deal with this scourge and to carry out targeted anti-FGM programmes. Member states should ratify international agreements and apply them. MEPs want legislation to be introduced to punish people carrying out FGM. As part of its work to tackle violence against women, the European Commission should pay particular attention to FGM and to this end. EU Fundamental Rights Commissioner Viviane Reding has asked the Gender Equality Institute to identify missing information on FGM and publish a report later this year to pave the way for better action to clamp down on FGM in Europe. (MD/transl.fl)