LONDON, Mar 27 (IPS) – Earlier this month, a UNICEF report on the prevalence of feminine genital mutilation (FGM) confirmed that whereas some success is happening, the tempo of progress stays sluggish – lagging behind inhabitants progress, particularly in locations the place FGM is commonest.
The report revealed that over 230 million women and girls worldwide have undergone FGM – a 15 per cent enhance, or 30 million extra women and girls, in comparison with the info launched eight years in the past. The biggest share of the worldwide burden is present in African international locations, with over 144 million instances, adopted by over 80 million in Asia and over 6 million within the Center East.
Because the 68th Fee on the Standing of Girls (CSW68) concluded final week I turned notably anxious for the ladies and women of The Gambia. As advocates from around the globe arrived in New York to attend the annual occasion hosted by the United Nations, our pleasure was rapidly dissolved.
Simply hours earlier than, we had discovered from our Gambian colleagues that non secular leaders — predominantly males together with politicians — had been voting to repeal a regulation handed nearly 10 years in the past by former President Yayah Janneh, which banned the follow of FGM. In that point a regulation that has saved 1000’s of women and girls present process this devastating human rights abuse.
It got here as a shock. Nonetheless, as world leaders scrambled on what to do or say following the information it was African ladies together with Jaha Dukureh from Secure Fingers for Women, Fatou Baldeh MBE from Girls in Liberation and Management, Nimco Ali OBE from The 5 Basis, who confirmed management throughout one among our most difficult occasions.
Survivors and activists had been relentless in our pursuits. In just a few days, many people took to the media, in addition to anyplace we may collect inside our communities to say no to repealing the regulation.
This can be a essential second for the FGM marketing campaign, which may have even additional adverse penalties for Gambian ladies and women. This combat is not only a name to repeal the regulation on FGM but when this request succeeds, we’re going to see a widespread roll again on different elementary rights of girls and women.
Fatou Kinteh, the Minister of Gender and Youngsters’s Affairs mentioned in an announcement at a gathering at CSW68 that: “Girls can’t be empowered if their rights proceed to be violated”. But, this similar authorities is placing them in danger.
World leaders should confront so-called non secular leaders too together with Imam Fatty who issued this very fastidiously deliberate fatwa, even whereas FGM continues to be unlawful. Leaders like Imam Fatty are very decided to roll again the progress made within the Gambia within the final 10 years. His pronouncement has already price lives. As a result of instantly after his statements many households had been already receiving threats to have their daughters minimize.
I hope that folks like UK Overseas Secretary Lord Cameron now stand as much as assist Gambian ladies. In 2014, it was beneath his management that the Woman Summit co-hosted with UNICEF themed “A future free from FGM and baby and compelled marriage” came about. This helped to catalyse the groundbreaking work that gave rise to the ban. Throughout that Summit, because the visitor speaker, I used to be more than happy to listen to of motion and funding commitments.
As an FGM survivor activist, a worldwide advocate and speaker, and a mom, I’m calling on him, in addition to all authorities representatives around the globe to instantly launch direct funding to ladies like me – grassroots activists engaged on the frontlines – to assist with this combat.
Leaders must also sanction those that assist the decision to repeal the ban on FGM, whereas additionally lastly calling on nations like Sierra Leone to enact legal guidelines and implement sustained insurance policies that go in the direction of defending and safeguarding women and girls from FGM as soon as and for all.
Alimatu Dimonekene MBE, is a number one ladies and women rights advocate within the UK: https://agdgetitdone.co.uk/aboutalimatu
IPS UN Bureau
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal supply: Inter Press Service
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