Since that time, despite a legal ban since 1985, and numerous guidelines,
conferences and training on the issue, little has been achieved by current
programmes to end FGM in this country. The estimates in 2001 suggest that
66,000 women in this country have already undergone FGM and more than 22,000
girls are at risk – figures which have increased with migration since the initial
2001 prevalence study.
The film Cut is targeted at young people – an important
audience. However, young girls alone will not have the power to stop this
practice, which is why the government cannot just replicate the efforts it has
taken to stop forced marriage. In France there have been more than 37
prosecutions over FGM. In the UK, there have been none. France has fully
integrated FGM into its childcare and development system.
As pointed out in Muir's article: "This is a child protection issue. [It's] that simple." Britain needs to fully integrate FGM into its child protection framework and use it to identify girls at risk early and monitor them. As an African woman, I know that it is only when African families living in the UK are aware the government is serious about stopping FGM that they will abandon this practice. FGM occurs for several reasons, but the main reason is to control girls' sexuality. This cannot be solely dealt with by educating the community: it is family and community–condoned violence.
Efua Dorkenoo - Advocacy director, FGM programme, Equality Now
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The National Alliance of Women's Organisations is very concerned that the government has announced only £10m in funding to the new UN agency for women (Report, 6 July). We appreciate that this is the second largest donation after Spain, but the total grant that UN Women will receive at this level sets it up for failure. UN Women has an ambitious but achievable programme. The government appears to approve of its choices and strategic direction. Compared with other grants we make – in particular to the World Bank, which does rather poorly – this is far too little. It is a sad day for the world's women – especially the poorest and most in need, who are those who can contribute most to development and to peace. Nawo has worked with other women's organisations to reform the gender architecture of the UN – and resourcing the new agency was always a key condition of any such reform.
Annette Lawson - Chair, National Alliance of Women's Organisations