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Communities across England will benefit from an increased awareness of the devastating consequences of female genital mutilation thanks to a new £375,000 fund.

• Communities Secretary Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP allocates £375,000 for 37 areas to fund locally-driven outreach, engagement and communications on the practice of FGM
• Areas with highest number of FGM reports to receive share of funding
• Funding to support local areas combat FGM and to raise awareness of the harm it causes

Communities across England will benefit from an increased awareness of the devastating consequences of female genital mutilation thanks to a new £375,000 fund.

Communities Secretary Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP yesterday announced that 37 areas will receive a share of this new government funding dedicated to boosting outreach work and engagement with communities about FGMand the immeasurable impact felt by its victims.

A total of 37 local areas authorities will benefit from grants by the end of this month, with the funding going directly to areas with the highest estimated prevalence of FGM in their respective communities.

Communities Secretary, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP yesterday said:

Female genital mutilation is an utterly devasting crime that causes immeasurable harm on its victims.

This government remains utterly committed to bringing an end to FGMworldwide and this new funding will help us tackle this practice head on and raise awareness across English communities of the lifelong physical and psychological harm that it causes.

The fund follows the recent refresh of the government’s strategy for ending violence against women and girls which set out proposals to oversee a reduction in FGM’s prevalence and end all reports of the crime within a generation.

To tackle the practice of FGM, local authorities could use the funding to promote available online resources on FGM, highlighting related support services and disseminating the multi-agency guidelines on the practice of FGM.

It could also be used to help build the capacity of FGM-focussed outreach workers to help engage constructively with communities on the practice of FGM and the harm it causes.

This funding is just one of the ways this government is helping communities to fight FGM. Ahead of International Women’s Day, the Prime Minister hosted an FGM panel with Somali social activist and FGM campaigner Nimco Ali.

Also in February, the Department for Education updated its guidance on Relationships Education. The new guidance stipulates that secondary schools should address the physical and emotional damage caused by FGM, raise awareness of the support that is available, and ensure pupils know that FGM is against the law.

Further information

• Funding will be provided to 35 local areas, covered by 37 local authorities. The fund provided to the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council will be also spent in areas within Westminster City Council and Hammersmith and Fulham.
• A total of 34 areas will receive £10,305 each. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council will receive £30,405 to be spent across the three areas as mentioned above.
• The government has determined the 35 areas based on reports of FGMincidents. This data is supported by a study undertaken and published by City University.

The local authorities which will receive the funding are:

• London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
• London Borough of Barnet
• Birmingham City Council
• Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Bristol City Council
• London Borough of Bromley
• London Borough of Camden
• Coventry City Council
• London Borough of Croydon
• London Borough of Ealing
• London Borough of Enfield
• London Borough of Greenwich
• London Borough of Hackney
• London Borough of Haringey
• London Borough of Harrow
• London Borough of Hounslow
• London Borough of Islington
• Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
• London Borough of Lambeth
• Leeds City Council
• London Borough of Lewisham
• Liverpool City Council
• Leicester City Council
• Luton Borough Council
• Manchester City Council
• Milton Keynes Council
• London Borough of Newham
• Northampton Borough Council
• Nottingham City Council
• Oxfordshire County Council
• London Borough of Redbridge
• Sheffield City Council
• Slough Borough Council
• London Borough of Southwark
• London Borough of Waltham Forest

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