New York, 27 September 2013
On 27 September 2013, in the framework of the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly held in New York, a Ministerial Working Meeting will be convened to discuss measures aimed at fostering the implementation of the resolution calling for a worldwide ban on female genital mutilation (A/RES/67/146), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 December 2012.
The meeting, entitled “Making UNGA Resolution 67/146 to Eliminate Female Genital Mutilations a Reality for Millions of Girls and Women”, is organised by the Permanent Missions of Burkina Faso and Italy to the United Nations, in partnership with the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, UNICEF and UNFPA. No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) is among the keynote speakers, who will include also other key-players in the process that led to the adoption of the Resolution: Ms. Chantal Compaoré, First Lady of Burkina Faso; Ms. Emma Bonino, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and founder of NPWJ; Ms. Mariam Lamizana, President of the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children.
Statement by Alvilda Jablonko, FGM Program Coordinator of No Peace Without Justice:
“Today’s Ministerial Working Meeting, involving high-level representatives from governments, U.N. Agencies and civil society, provides an important opportunity to strategise and further recommit ourselves to ensure that Resolution 67/146 realises its full potential as a concrete tool to ban female genital mutilation (FGM) worldwide.
“Following the adoption of this breakthrough document, it is crucial to ensure the full and swift compliance with and implementation of its provisions and principles at the national, regional and global levels. As explicitly called for by the Resolution, the international community as well as individual states should take effective action to address and prevent this human rights violation through “all necessary measures, including enacting and enforcing legislation to prohibit FGM and to protect women and girls from this form of violence, and to end impunity”.
“We gather today, at the occasion of the opening of the 68th U.N. General Assembly, to remind all stakeholders: governments, U.N. Agencies and civil society, that in the fight against FGM it is fundamental to adopt a holistic and harmonised approach, founded on the understanding that FGM is a violation of human rights which must be addressed through the enactment of a comprehensive legislative framework, and which cuts across national boundaries and geographical regions. Only united we can win this struggle and free ourselves of this scourge; donate hope to women and girls around the world and ensure that the Rule of Law and human rights are respected and defended.”
Date and Venue: 27 September 2013 from 10:00 to 12:00 at the United Nations North Lawn Building, Conference Room 5.
Simultaneous French and English translation provided.
Documentation
Other events organised on the margins of the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly
- “Ending Child Marriage in a Generation“, organized by Girls Not Brides*, New York, 24 September 2013
- “Too Young to Wed“, organized by the Missions of Canada, The Netherlands, Ghana and Girls not Brides*, New York, 25 September 2013
* Girls Not Brides is a global partnership to end child marriage, bringing together non-governmental organisations from around the world that work to tackle child marriage at the grassroots, national and global levels. NPWJ is a member of this global network.
For more information, contact Alvilda Jablonko, Coordinator of the FGM Program, on ajablonko@npwj.org / phone: +32 494 533 915 or Nicola Giovannini on ngiovannini@npwj.org or +32 (0)2 548-39 15.
