Community and religious leaders in the United Kingdom came together this week to condemn the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM).
The Church of England and the Muslim Women’s Network UK were two of 160 groups who supported the announcement denouncing FGM as a form of violence against women and a denial of women’s human rights not supported by religious doctrine. The groups will sign a joint declaration condemning FGM – currently a criminal offense in the UK – during the government’s Girl Summit in July.
“No girl or woman should ever be forced to choose between her safety and her religious community and tradition and it is our sacred obligation to be just agents of change against this unjust practice,” said Shahin Ashraf, Muslim Chaplain and National Network Coordinator for the Muslim Women’s Network UK.
Sometimes referred to as female genital cutting or female circumcision, FGM is the removal or cutting of part or all of a woman or girl’s genitals. The practice, which is medically unnecessary, can lead to serious health issues such as infection, illness and death. FGM still affects up to 140 million women and girls worldwide, with an estimated 20,000 girls at risk in the UK.
The practice of FGM on girls under 18 was made a crime in the United States in 1996. The law was strengthened by President Obama in 2013 to make it a crime to transport a girl outside of the US for the purpose of subjecting her to FGM.
Media Resources: The Guardian 6/20/14; Gov.UK 6/20/14; United Nations 12/20/12; Feminist Majority Foundation; Equality Now
