(Brussels 24 May) Key demands of Amnesty International’s END FGM European Campaign were handed over to the European Commissioner Vice-President Viviane Reding by Strong Voice Aissatou Diallo and Campaign Director, Dr Christine Loudes in Brussels yesterday. The END FGM campaign centered upon a pan-European petition, signed by thousands of European citizens to bring an end to the practice. An art piece made of mirror and signed rose petals seeking EU action against female genital mutilation was given to the Commissioner.
Current figures are of 500,000 women and girls living with FGM in Europe; another 180,000 women and girls are at risk of FGM each year. A comprehensive response in the form of an EU action plan is needed to protect women and girls from all forms of violence against women.
The Amnesty END FGM Campaign has suggested numerous measures including targeted awareness-raising among communities affected by the practice, tools for professionals confronted by the practice (i.e. health, asylum, judiciary, police, social services), building capacity of EU external delegations, developing indicators to collect data across Europe and supporting EU governments in implementing national action plans on violence against women, including of FGM, the directive on victims’ rights and revised asylum legislation.
