The Swiss Federal Council has decided: The continuation of the Swiss network against FGM is secured!

On 22 November, the Federal Council continued supporting the Swiss Network against FGM in Switzerland. This will enable the network to continue its services for protecting and caring for girls and women at risk and those affected.

Since 2016, the Network against Female Genital Cutting Switzerland has been implementing a federal mandate to prevent female genital mutilation, the current mandate of which expires at the end of 2024. With the granting of further funding from 2025, the network will be able to continue the work it has begun and anchor it sustainably. In addition to counselling, prevention work and further training, the focus will continue to be on establishing and sustainably anchoring regional services in the cantons.

The decision was preceded by an evaluation by the BASS office, which assessed the network's measures and analysed the situation in the cantons. The final report gave the network a good report card, but at the same time identified a need for further action at cantonal level and considered the existence of a national specialist organisation to be useful. The Network against Female Genital Mutilation Switzerland is mainly funded by the Federal Office of Public Health, the State Secretariat for Migration and the Federal Office for Gender Equality.

The network is very pleased about this positive decision!