Parliamentary question - O-000003/2018Parliamentary question
O-000003/2018

Zero tolerance of female genital mutilation (FGM)

Question for oral answer O-000003/2018
to the Commission
Rule 128
Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, on behalf of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

Procedure : 2017/2936(RSP)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
O-000003/2018
Texts tabled :
O-000003/2018 (B8-0005/2018)
Votes :
Texts adopted :

The European Union is committed to working collectively to eradicate female genital mutilation (FGM), as part of its broader efforts to combat all forms of violence against women and girls, and to supporting the efforts of its Member States in this field.

According to the WHO, 140 million women and girls worldwide are currently living with the harmful consequences of FGM, while the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) reports victims in at least 13 Member States.

Stakeholders working for the eradication of this practice advocate that cross-sectoral cooperation needs to be intensified and the issue of FGM mainstreamed into all sectors: health, social work, asylum, education, law enforcement, justice, child protection and media and communications, since undergoing FGM or living under the risk of it affects the lives of girls and women in a multitude of ways. All these sectors need to be prepared to offer appropriate protection and services to the victims or potential victims.

In February 2015 the Commission updated Parliament about its action on the elimination of FGM undertaken under its strategy ‘Towards the elimination of female genital mutilation’. Today as we are marking the International Day Against FGM, we would like to ask the Commission to give us an overview of the progress made and actions taken since then.

What has the Commission done to mainstream FGM prevention into all relevant policy and legislative frameworks of various of its Directorates-General in order to ensure that the issue is tackled within all the above sectors?

How are the integrated policies followed up, and what cooperation mechanisms are put in place?

Furthermore, how will the Commission integrate its efforts and coordination of Member States’ efforts in tackling FGM in the wider framework of fighting gender-based violence under the Istanbul Convention?

How will FGM be addressed within the newly launched EU-UN Spotlight Initiative on eliminating violence against women and girls?

Last updated: 29 January 2018
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