European Parliament resolution on Zero Tolerance for FGM

On the 7 February 2018, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution on Zero Tolerance for FGM. The text of the resolution greatly reflects the vision of the End FGM European Network and stresses some important points that we reiterated and advocated for throughout the past years and which shape our work. The resolution mentions the importance of building bridges between regions, sectors and stakeholders (paras. 2 and 3), and of mainstreaming prevention of FGM in all sectors (para. 4). Moreover, it recalls the Istanbul Convention (paras. 5 and 6), the importance of a prosecution that goes hand in hand with prevention (para. 9), and the dangers of medicalisation of FGM (para. 11). Great attention is given to FGM in the asylum context (12 and 13), while a request is made to the European Commission to support the creation of a global network alliance to end FGM (para. 14). Furthermore, the European Parliament highlights the need to ensure flexible funding (para. 15), the crucial role that data collection and training of professionals play in FGM prevention (para. 16, 17 and 21), and the importance of involving men and boys in combating gender power structures (para. 20). Finally, the resolution specifically welcomes the work of the End FGM European Network and its members, and openly mentions our projects CHANGE Plus and the UEFGM platform (paras. 15 and 23). It is important to stress once more that through this resolution, the European Parliament acknowledges End FGM EU as a key interlocutor on FGM in Europe and recognises the value of our work, not only by mentioning End FGM EU and our members as the only civil society reference in the text, but also by making our advocacy demands their asks towards the European Commission.

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