The European Parliament today unanimously adopted a resolution on female genital mutilation, reaffirming its strong condemnation of FGM as a violation of the human rights of women and girls. The European Parliament supports the African Union decision, which calls upon the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to adopt a worldwide ban on female Genital mutilation.
Declaration by Alvilda Jablonko, FGM Program Coordinator of No Peace Without Justice:
“No Peace Without Justice and the Nonviolent Radical Party, Transnational and Transparty (NRPTT), together with the other members of the BAN FGM Coalition, welcome the unanimous adoption today by the European Parliament of a Resolution in support of the African Union Decision, which calls upon the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to adopt a worldwide ban on female genital mutilation as a violation of the human rights of women and girls.
“Today’s vote further reinforces the Lambsdorff Report adopted yesterday, which, among others, recommends to the EU Council and the Commission to actively support the African-led initiative to ban FGM worldwide through a United Nations General Assembly Resolution.
“We welcome the European Parliament’s clear and unequivocal call for Europe-wide legal tools treating all forms of FGM as crimes, through the adoption and implementation of comprehensive legislation that prohibits the practice and provides for effective sanctions against perpetrators.
“The worldwide ban on FGM, through the adoption of a specific Resolution by the General Assembly of the United Nations, is a goal within close reach. We renew the appeal to all States, and to all regional and international organizations, to take an unequivocal and joint stance in favor of the adoption of a UN Resolution banning FGM worldwide in order to ensure the strengthening and harmonization of legal tools and mechanisms against FGM in all affected countries and to provide strong and clear support for all those working to bring an end to the practice.
“We also invite all citizens of the world to join the brave activists who have dedicated their lives to combating FGM by signing the appeal on www.banfgm.org, asking that the United Nations take the necessary steps to put an end to this human rights violation”.
For more information, contact Alvilda Jablonko, Coordinator of the FGM Program, on ajablonko@npwj.org or Nicola Giovannini, email: ngiovannini@npwj.org, phone: +32 2 548 39 15.
Check also the websites: www.npwj.org and www.banfgm.org
