06/02/2013 Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development
Joint statement to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation by José Mendes Bota (Portugal, EPP/CD), general rapporteur on violence against women, and Marlene Rupprecht (Germany, SOC), general rapporteur on children of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)
Strasbourg, 06.02.2013 – “Female genital mutilation is a serious form of violence against women and girls, as recognised by the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention, CETS No. 210). Worldwide, three million women and girls are subjected to this violation of their physical integrity every year. It is estimated that, in Europe, 500,000 women and girls are suffering from the lifelong consequences of female genital mutilation.
We welcome UN General Assembly Resolution 67/146, adopted in December 2012, as a milestone text, banning female genital mutilation worldwide and calling on States to take all necessary measures to protect women and girls from this form of violence.
We urge Council of Europe member states to sign and ratify the Istanbul Convention and to introduce legislation criminalising female genital mutilation. States should ensure protection and support both for those who have been subjected to it, and for those at risk of it, including asylum seekers, refugees and migrants. In their foreign policy, states should promote respect for women’s rights, including the right to be protected against any form of violence.
A concerted effort is necessary to bring about a change of mentality, and eradicate the customs and traditions which justify female genital mutilation. Addressing members of the Parliamentary Assembly during the recent January session, a young woman who survived genital mutilation said: “Of course, under the law I could have taken my mother and my grandmother before the courts. But can you imagine a child doing so?” Children cannot be left alone to fight against human rights violations. A safe and just world for women and girls is one without female genital mutilation. The responsibility to make this happen lies with us.”