Irish Presidency: End FGM EU's 6 recommendations for the Council of the European Union
As Ireland is taking over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the second half of 2026, End FGM EU has submitted a letter of recommendations calling for stronger EU action to address gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation (FGM).
The six-month Presidency offers Ireland an important opportunity to shape the Council's agenda and advance gender equality by strengthening the rights of women and girls throughout the European Union. We welcome the Presidency's commitment to the Union of Equality, fundamental rights, and the forthcoming Gender Equality Strategy (2026–2030). We also appreciate the recognition of gender equality in a modern, digital society.
However, End FGM EU stresses that these commitments must be translated into concrete action for women and girls affected by FGM. While the Presidency rightly states that "equality strengthens competitiveness" this ambition is significantly weakened if the specific forms of intersectional discrimination faced by migrant women and girls fleeing FGM are excluded from these strategic goals. The programme currently lacks specific, actionable measures to address the needs of FGM survivors and girls at risk. Without concrete action to address the intersection of racism, migration status, and gender-based violence, the Union of Equality risks failing to protect those most at risk.
We also note the absence of tackling hate speech and hate crime as core priorities, despite the growing backlash against women's rights and the rise of racist and anti-migrant narratives.
We have also reviewed the 18-month Trio Programme (Ireland, Lithuania, and Greece) - which explicitly designates gender equality and social cohesion as a "horizontal priority" while pledging to uphold fundamental rights within the "European Democracy Shield" and the Pact on Migration. This provides a critical mandate for your Presidency to ensure that the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum fully integrates intersectional protections for FGM Survivors, preventing the weaponization of migration from undermining the very security and human rights standards the Trio has committed to defend.
The Network also underlines the importance of adopting an intersectional approach that recognises the specific challenges faced by migrant women and girls, survivors, and those at risk.
In this letter, we urge the Presidency to:
1/ Prioritise equality and strengthen the EU's response to gender-based violence, including FGM.
2/ Ensure asylum and migration policies fully uphold the rights of women and girls at risk of FGM.
3/ Improve the collection of comparable EU-wide data on FGM and gender-based violence.
4/ Recognise and strengthen the role of civil society and affected communities in shaping EU policies.
5/ Ensure the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) provides sustainable funding for gender equality and the prevention of gender-based violence.
6/ Reaffirm the EU's external human rights commitments, including its commitment to ending FGM worldwide.
The recommendations also call for the effective implementation of key EU legislation and policy frameworks, including the Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence, the Istanbul Convention, the forthcoming Gender Equality Strategy (2026–2030), and the Anti-Racism Strategy (2026–2030). They further emphasise the need to improve access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, strengthen protection for women and girls seeking asylum, and ensure the meaningful participation of survivor-led and community-based organisations in EU decision-making.
The Irish Presidency has a unique opportunity to demonstrate that values and security are not mutually exclusive. We appreciate the opportunity this Presidency offers to make real progress on building a more equal, safe and inclusive Europe. The Network looks forward to engaging with this new Presidency of the Council of the European Union throughout its mandate to advance strengthen the EU's efforts to prevent FGM, uphold the rights women and girls at risk and support survivors across Europe and beyond.
