Reaction European Elections 2024

Between the 6th and the 9th of June, European citizens voted for their representatives at the European Parliament. For 3 days, voters cast their ballot to elect the 720 members of the European Parliament (MEPs) who will represent them in Strasbourg and Brussels for the next 5 years.  

As a Network, it was important for us to take part in one of the world’s biggest elections and seize the opportunity to stress that ending FGM and all forms of gender-based violence should be high on the political agenda of the next Parliament. Hence, on the 6th of February on the international day of zero tolerance for FGM, the End FGM European Network (End FGM EU) launched a Manifesto for the European elections calling on candidates to commit to our 6 pillars.  

1. Work towards EU gender equality goals, including ending gender-based violence and FGM. 
2. Ensure FGM-affected communities’ voices shape policies that concern them 
3. Promote accurate narratives about FGM to counter stigmatization 
4. Advocate for additional funding to civil society, prioritizing grassroots efforts 
5. Prioritize professional training in relevant policies and EU-funded programs 
6. Promote an intersectional and feminist approach to eliminate gender-based violence in EU policies 

Throughout the election campaign, End FGM EU collected pledges from all across Europe, and gathered commitments from candidates and political parties to take a stand against FGM for the next 5 years. We proudly gathered signatures from 144 candidates from 11 member states. We would like to thank all the candidates who signed the manifesto for showing their commitment to ending FGM. Your allyship is crucial and will impact the movement to end FGM in Europe and in the whole world.  

We know that the next 5 years will represent a turning point for the European and global movement to end FGM. We cannot ignore the rise of conservative and far right parties in the hemicycle, while we are concerned about this shift and in particular its impact on gender, development and migration policies we remain hopeful that the progressive forces in the Parliament will still be strong allies.  

These elections also mean many changes in the European institutions, but these should not blind us from the urgency of eliminating FGM. 

If we want to reach SDG 5.3 before 2030, decision-makers across the globe need to collaborate with civil society, we need to work together to eliminate all harmful practices and advocate for a world where everyone can thrive. The EU can help us in reaching this goal! 

Freshly elected MEPs, returning MEPs, president of the European Commission, newly appointed commissioners, Governments across the EU, you have 5 years to take action and take a stand against FGM.  

Join us in making a world free from FGM a reality! 

You can still sign our Manifesto: Have a look at our manifesto for the European elections.