In the run-up to the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) on Monday 6 February, the European Commission is recalling the EU’s determination to act to eradicate the practice worldwide.
“Female genital mutilation is a human rights violation and a form of violence against women and girls“, stressed in a joint statement on Friday, the High Representative of the Union and Vice-President of the Commission, Josep Borrell, the Vice-Presidents of the institution, Vĕra Jourová and Dubravka Šuica, and Commissioners Helena Dalli and Jutta Urpilainen.
They reiterated that FGM “affects over 200 million people worldwide, of whom, 600,000 are estimated to live in Europe. We must take determined action to bring about change, eradicate this practice if we are to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (target 5.3) deadline of Zero FGM by 2030”.
The signatories added “transforming social and gender norms by partnering with men and boys is key to ending female genital mutilation”.
The Commission recalls in this regard that the EU has been supporting the joint UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund-UNICEF) programme on the elimination of female genital mutilation with €18.5 million since 2016. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)