EU Member State legislation to eliminate female genital mutilation

17.12.2008

ORAL QUESTION H-1041/08
for Question Time at the part-session in February 2009
pursuant to Rule 109 of the Rules of Procedure
by Colm Burke
to the Commission

Measures need to be put in place within the EU to address the needs of women and girls who are at risk of female genital mutilation (FGM). Ireland made a recent commitment – as one of 15 EU Member States – to launch a national action plan for the elimination of FGM. These 15 EU Member States have committed to enacting a law to place an outright ban on FGM in their respective countries.

 

Can the Commission recommend to non-participating Member States that they consider such action plans and legislation outlawing this harmful practice? Such a law would send a clear signal to potential practitioners of this tradition that FGM is wholly unacceptable within the EU. Considering that the World Health Organisation estimates that between 100 and 140 million girls and women are living with the consequences of FGM (and three million girls are at risk each year), what is the Commission doing to minimise the detrimental effects of this tradition as part of its external relations policy?

 

 

Tabled: 17.12.2008

en