The European Parliament adopted by 564 votes to 0 with 2 abstentions a resolution on ending female mutilation.
The resolution was tabled by the ECR, S&D, GUE/NGL, ALDE, Greens/EFA and EPP groups.
It notes that at least 500 000 women and girls in Europe are living with female genital mutilation and an estimated 180 000 girls are at risk, according to the WHO. Parliament calls upon the UN General Assembly to adopt a resolution at its 67th session with a view to ending female genital mutilation worldwide – as requested by the African Union Summit on 2 July 2011 – by harmonising the action taken by member states and issuing recommendations and guidelines for the development and strengthening of regional and international legal instruments and national legislation. Members state that any form of female genital mutilation is a harmful traditional practice that cannot be considered part of a religion, but is an act of violence against women and girls. Such violations can under no circumstances be justified on grounds of respect for cultural traditions of various kinds or for initiation ceremonies. They further state that, since female genital mutilation is mostly performed on young girls between infancy and 15 years of age, it constitutes a violation of the rights of the child, and all 27 Member States have committed themselves to protecting children's rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Parliament urges the Commission to ensure that measures aimed at combating gender-based violence and promoting the empowerment of women are mainstreamed in all EU development policies and programmes through its 2010 Gender Action Plan, stressing the importance of awareness-raising and community mobilization. Members point out that efforts to eliminate attitudes and harmful practices that negatively affect girls will succeed only with the full involvement of all key actors, including religious and community leaders and those working directly with girls, including parents, families and communities. They want the Commission to make it a priority to end violence against women and girls and, through the allocation of appropriate financial resources, to support targeted and innovative programmes both within the EU and in third countries.
Member States must continue to ratify international instruments and implement them through comprehensive legislation that prohibits all forms of female genital mutilation and provides for effective sanctions against the perpetrators of this practice. Parliament notes that legislation should also mandate a full range of prevention and protection measures, including mechanisms to coordinate, monitor and evaluate law enforcement, and should improve the conditions permitting women and girls to report cases of female genital mutilation.
It calls upon the relevant UN entities and civil society, through the allocation of appropriate financial resources, actively to support targeted, innovative programmes and to disseminate best practices that address the needs and priorities of girls in vulnerable situations, including those subjected to female genital mutilation, who have difficulty accessing services and programmes. The UN Secretary-General is asked to ensure that all relevant UN organisations and bodies, in particular the UN Children's Fund, the UN Population Fund, the World Health Organisation, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, the UN Development Fund for Women, the UN Development Programme and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, individually and collectively, incorporate the protection and promotion of the rights of girls not to be subjected to female genital mutilation into their country programmes, as appropriate, and in accordance with national priorities, in order to step up further their efforts in this regard.
Lastly, Parliament emphasises the need to support members of civil society, in particular women's organisations, working within their communities to end violence against women, including female genital mutilation.