6 February 2017 – While the exact number is unknown, at least 200 million girls and women in 30 countries throughout Africa, the Middle East and Asia have been subjected to female genital mutilation, or FGM, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The World Health Organization (WHO) calls FGM a procedure that intentionally alters or causes injury to female genital organs for non-medical reasons. In lay terms, babies, girls and women are cut and their genitalia severed. WHO underscores that it not only provides no health benefits, but may lead to a life-time of obstacles. Furthermore, the majority of females who have been subjected to the practice are between infancy and age 15.

No medical reason

A young woman in an Ouagadougou clinic in Burkina Faso has undergone reconstructive surgery to repair the damage caused by female genital mutilation at age 6. Photo: UNICEF/ Nesbitt

Female genital mutilation is recognized internationally as a violation of human rights of girls and women.

According to WHO, female genital mutilation has no health benefits, and it harms girls and women in many ways. It involves removing and damaging healthy, normal female genital tissue – interfering with their natural body functions.

In Mali, Fanta talks about the health complications she continues to experience as a result of female genital mutilation. While renounced in Sébétou Village in 2009, an estimated 85 per cent of Malian girls and women aged 15 to 49 have been subjected to FGM. Photo: UNICEF/ Asselin

It consists of all procedures that alter or injure female genitalia for non-medical reasons.

WHO also notes that the procedure has both short- and long-term consequences that range from severe bleeding and painful urination, to menstrual and psychological problems, cysts and infections. Sexual issues frequently ensue, childbirth complications arise and the risk of new born deaths increase. Subsequently, further surgeries are needed.

A dangerous tradition

Displaced women and men in Chad celebrate ‘circumcision’ days for girls by dancing together. During that time, several 11-years-olds were mutilated. Photo: UNHCR/ Hélène Caux

Female genital mutilation also violates women’s rights to health, security and physical integrity, along with the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

The UN notes that the practice reflects a deeply-rooted inequality between the sexes, constituting an extreme form of discrimination against women and girls.

Reasons behind female genital mutilations vary from one region to another, as well as over time. They include a mix of sociocultural factors within families and communities.

In Ethiopia, 6-year-old Asmah was forced to undergo female genital mutilation procedure. Her mother Bedria believes that Asmah could not marry honourably without it, saying, “From our own experience we know that [cutting] causes problems. However because it is the tradition, we continue to do it.” Photo: UNICEF/ Getachew

Female genital mutilation is associated with misconceived cultural ideals of femininity and modesty, which include the notion that girls are beautiful after removal of body parts that are considered unclean, unfeminine or male. It is often seen as a necessary part of raising a girl – a way to prepare her for adulthood and increase her chances of marriage.

In Senegal, a village imam, Mamadou Dia, sits with other village men in a meeting – also attended by women – explaining why their village, Tatin Bambara, still practises FGM. Photo: UNICEF/ Grossman

Studies show that where female genital mutilation is a social norm, pressure to conform, along with the fear of being rejected by the community, are strong motivations to perpetuate the practice. In some communities, FGM is almost universally performed without question.

According to UNICEF, the hazardous practice has even infringed on girls’ right to life – when it has resulted in their deaths as a result of shock, haemorrhage or septicaemia.

Taking a stance

In Kenya, Habiba refuses to subject her two youngest daughters – 7-year old Fathi, in white, and sister Kowsar – to female genital mutilation, fearing irreversible, life-long health complications, including psychological harm. Photo: UNICEF/ Christine Nesbitt

According to WHO, since 1997, great efforts have been made to counteract female genital mutilation, through research, work within communities, and changes in public policy.

Part of eradicating the practice is to find alternative occupations for FGM practitioners, such as being traditional birth attendants or teachers, and also cultivating situations in which men no longer wish to marry circumcised women.

Women from Samburu, Kenya, say no to female genital mutilation in public discussion gatherings. Photo: UNICEF/ Samuel Leadismo

Many target groups have been identified in the FGM elimination effort, including men, women, male youth, young girls and older women. It is important to reduce both the supply and demand for female genital mutilation.

Efforts should emphasize societal dialogue and community empowerment to collectively end the practice.

A former cutter in Uganda recommits to supporting the abandonment of female genital mutilation by appending her thumb print on a memorial during a cultural celebration event. Photo: UNICEF/ Nakibuuka

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) says “collective abandonment” – or when a whole community chooses to no longer engage in female genital mutilation – is an effective way to end the practice. It ensures that no single girl or family will be disadvantaged by the decision.

UNFPA says the decision to collectively abandon FGM requires a process in which communities are educated about the practice and that health and human rights aspects are prominently feature. Local and grassroots organizations should play an important role in the process.

Ending FGM once and for all

Girls in Côte d Ivoire attend a communal meeting organized by the NGO OIS Afrique, a UNICEF partner working with communities and female genital mutilation practitioners to end the harmful traditional practice. Photo: United Nations

Ten UN agencies published a statement highlighting that having gained more knowledge on the practice itself, the reasons for its continuation and interventions that can more lead to its abandonment, a common, coordinated approach could lead to female genital mutilation being abandoned within a generation.

WHO underscored that according to research, if practicing communities themselves decide to eliminate female genital mutilation, the practice can be eliminated very rapidly.

At a community meeting in Kabele Village, Ethiopia, former FGM practitioner Boko Mohammed holds the tool she used to use while performing the procedure. Photo: UNICEF/ Holt

The elimination of female genital mutilation has been called for by numerous inter-governmental organizations, including the African Union, the European Union and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, as well as in three resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly.

UNFPA estimates the need to invest about $980 million to significantly impact FGM between 2018 and 2030.

United Nations steps-up action

Women attend an female genital mutilation sensitization session in Bamako, Mali. The session was run by UNICEF partner and local non-governmental organization (NGO) Sini Sanuma. Photo: UNICEF/ Bindra

Within the context of the UN, eliminating female genital mutilation is not a question of imposing external values on any particular country. UN resolutions in 2012, 2014 and 2016 on banning FGM, which include a target for its elimination in the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), indicate strong political will from the international community to stem the dangerous practice.

The global SDG compact, adopted in 2015 by 193 Member States, calls for an end to FGM by 2030. Goal 5 on gender equality has a specific target to eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

In an Ethiopian health care centre, Amin Aleba, said, “My wife and I made the joint decision not to have [9-year-old Medina] cut because of information that we gathered from the community meetings held in our village by Rohi-Weddu… I now understand that it is better for the health of our daughters that they remain whole.” Photo: UNICEF/ Holt

Focusing on 17 countries, UNFPA and UNICEF together lead the largest global programme to accelerate the abandonment of female genital mutilation.

Entitled ‘Accelerating Change,’ the programme aims to protect women and girls from FGM through participatory, culturally-sensitive and human rights-based approaches. It also cares for survivors.

Working with governments, grass-roots partners and civil society – including religious and community leaders – Accelerating Change sets goals across legal and policy reform; services for prevention, protection and care; and collective actions in the social sphere.

Two girls in Senegal clap hands at an event celebrating the abandonment of female genital mutilation by several nearby villages. Photo: UNICEF/ Furrer

The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) is the European fund established to provide support for adapting to the Common Fisheries Policy, including control and enforcement and data collection obligations. EMFF supports sustainable development within the fishing and aquaculture sectors and the conservation of the marine environment, alongside supporting growth and jobs in coastal communities.

In order to support small fisheries businesses through the application process the Cabinet Secretary has made additional funds available. Each small business who is interested in applying for EMFF funding will be able to access up to a maximum of £3,000 to pay an advisor of their choice to help them develop their ideas into fundable projects.

The Cabinet Secretary said:

“The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund is worth between £14m – £16m to fishing and aquaculture industries in Wales. It goes a long way in helping us achieve our objective to develop a vibrant, competitive and sustainable fishing sector.

“The outcome of the EU referendum last year and the subsequent guarantee by the Treasury to honour commitments made until the UK leaves the EU, means it is important Wales maximises the take up of this fund.

“I have, therefore, decided to make funds available from my budget to provide support to small fisheries businesses considering making an application for EMFF funding.

“There are many good ideas for projects, however we do not have the luxury of taking a year to turn those ideas into fundable projects. This support will be focused on doing just that. Ensuring the project applications which come forward are ready to hit the ground running and do not remain just great ideas”.

6 February 2017 – Attacks in Afghanistan by the Taliban, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and pro-Government troops killed or injured more children and other civilians in 2016 than at any other time since the United Nations began keeping records, it was announced today.

According to the new UN report, some 11,418 civilian casualties were confirmed last year – including 2,589 children – an increase of 24 per cent since the previous high in 2015.

Releasing the casualty figures at a press conference in the Afghan capital of Kabul, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Tadamichi Yamamoto, called the killing and maiming of thousands of Afghan civilians “deeply harrowing and largely preventable.”

“All parties to the conflict must take immediate concrete measures to protect the ordinary Afghan men, women and children whose lives are being shattered,” said Mr. Yamamoto, who is also the head of the UN Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMA).

A breakdown of the figures shows that 3,498 people were killed, among them 923 children, and 7,920 civilians were injured, including 2,589 children.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, said the casualty figures painted a picture of the most vulnerable sectors of society paying the highest price.

Source: UNAMA Annual Report 2016 Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict

“Children have been killed, blinded, crippled – or inadvertently caused the death of their friends – while playing with unexploded ordnance that is negligently left behind by parties to the conflict,” Mr. Zeid said. His Office, known by the acronym OHCHR, works annually with UNAMA to produce the report.

In addition to figures, the report includes excerpt of interviews with survivors of violence.

One of the interviews is with a mother who survived a mortar attack during a ground engagement in the Bala Buluk district of Farah province, in the western part of Afghanistan.

Aftermath of an explosion in the centre of Kabul, Afghanistan, on the corner of Passport Lane and the Indian Embassy. Photo: UNAMA/Jawad Jalali (file)

“It was the day before Ramadan when a number of Taliban entered my village,” she told UNAMA during a telephone interview in June 2016. “While we were walking to my husband’s tricycle, a mortar shell landed nearby. My mother-in-law and I hit the ground injured and my newborn baby was hit by shrapnel in the chest. He died after a few minutes.”

UN investigators found that anti-Government forces, mainly the Taliban, were responsible for almost two-thirds of the casualties, while pro-Government forces were responsible for almost one-quarter. In addition, casualties caused by airstrikes carried out by Afghan and international forces nearly doubled since 2015.

The following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of Friday 3 February and could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.

M1 junction 30 Barlborough

The northbound exit and entry slip roads will be fully closed overnight on Tuesday 7 February for survey works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M1 Junction 32 Thurcroft to Junction 35a Stocksbridge

The hard shoulder is currently closed in both directions as part of the smart motorway scheme between junctions 32 and 34. The M18 Southbound link to the M1 northbound will be fully closed overnight for five nights from Monday 6 February. The northbound carriageway will be fully closed between the slip roads at junction 32 overnight for two nights on Saturday 11 February. The northbound carriageway will be fully closed between the slip roads at junction 33 overnight for two nights on Saturday 11 February.

The northbound exit slip road at junction 33 will be closed overnight for two nights from Monday 6 February. The northbound carriageway will be fully closed from junction 32 to junction 33 overnight for three nights from Wednesday 8 February. The southbound carriageway will be fully closed from junction 32 to junction 33 overnight for two nights from Monday 6 February. The southbound carriageway will be fully closed between the slip roads at junction 34 for two nights from Monday 6 February.

The southbound entry slip road at junction 33 will be fully closed overnight for two nights from Monday 6 February. There will be narrow lanes and a 50mph speed limit until the project is completed. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M62 junction 22 to junction 23 Outlane

The eastbound carriageway will be reduced to single lane overnight for 6 nights from Monday 6 February for road markings to be repainted and reflective road studs to be replaced. The closures will take place between 10pm and 6am.

M62 junction 26 Bradford (M606 interchange)

The slip roads and roundabout will be reduced to a single lane overnight, between 7pm and 6am, on Tuesday 7 February to complete landscaping and other minor works associated with the junction improvement. Drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M62 junction 27 Gildersome

The eastbound entry slip road will be fully closed overnight on Tuesday 7 February for technology works. The closure will take place between 9pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

M62 junction 30 to junction 31 Normanton

The carriageway will be fully closed overnight on Sunday 12 February for scaffold works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A1M junction 38 to junction 37 Marr

The southbound carriageway will be fully closed overnight on Tuesday 7 February for barrier works. The closures will take place between 9pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

A64 Fulford

The eastbound carriageway will be fully closed between the slip roads overnight for two nights from Monday 6 February for bridge works. The westbound carriageway will be fully closed between the slip roads overnight for five nights from Monday 6 February for bridge works. The closures will take place between 8pm and 6am, and drivers will be able to follow clearly signed diversion routes.

General enquiries

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