Faith and community leaders unite to condemn FGM
20 Jun 2014 03:43 PM
Representatives met
government ministers during a summit at the Home
Office.
Religious and community leaders
united to discuss a joint declaration condemning the unacceptable practice of
female genital mutilation (FGM).
Representatives from
organisations including the International Relief Foundation, FORWARD and the
Muslim Women’s Network UK met government ministers during a summit at the
Home Office in London on 19 June.
By signing a joint declaration
against the practice of FGM, they hope to send a clear message to communities
across the UK that the practice is an extreme form of violence against women
and girls and is not supported by any religious doctrine.
Life-long
impact
They also stressed that it is a
human rights violation and can have a life-long impact on survivors’
physical and psychological health.
In the UK, FGM is not only child
abuse but also a criminal offence and and the government is committed to ending
this extremely harmful practice.
The final declaration will be
signed by UK representatives of all the world’s major religions during
the government’s Girl Summit in July.
Hosted by the Prime Minister,
the Girl Summit is aimed at mobilising domestic and international efforts to
end female genital mutilation (FGM) and child, early and forced marriage (CEFM)
within a generation.
Landmark
moment
Norman Baker, Minister for Crime
Prevention, said:
Female genital mutilation is a
terrible practice that is not condoned by any religion.
Political or cultural
sensitivities must not get in the way of uncovering and stopping this
abuse.
The law in this country is clear
but we need to win hearts and minds if we are to end FGM.
The summit represents a landmark
moment. By bringing together religious and community leaders to forge a
commitment to condemn this shocking practice, we are working to support
communities to abandon the practice themselves and to eliminate FGM within a
generation.
Lynne Featherstone,
International Development Minister and Ministerial Champion for Violence
Against Women and Girls Overseas, said:
Faith and community leaders are
fundamental to the work to end FGM.
They have the power and the
influence to bring about change in their communities and communicate the true
harm that is caused by this practice.
Their commitment is vital to
successfully stopping FGM within a generation.
Vile practice
Stephen Williams, Minister for
Communities, said:
Female genital mutilation is an
abhorrent practice that has no place in this country.
We are matching condemnation
with action, which is why government ministers are today meeting community and
faith leaders and campaigners to hear their experiences and working with
communities to change social norms and ensure we do everything to stamp out
this vile practice.
Shahin Ashraf, Muslim Chaplain
and National Network Coordinator for the Muslim Women’s Network UK,
said:
The role of religious leaders is
imperative in the fight against female genital mutilation.
No girl or woman should ever be
forced to choose between her safety and her religious community and tradition
and it is our sacred obligation to be just agents of change against this unjust
practice.
Naana Otoo-Oyortey, Executive
Director of FORWARD, said:
FORWARD is very pleased to see
the government recognising the importance of community voices in ending the
practice of FGM.
We welcome the commitment from
various faith and community leaders in condemning FGM, as we know it is not
required by any religion.
At FORWARD we work with
communities to enable social change in terms of attitude and behaviour in
relation to FGM and we hope this declaration will create further commitment in
engaging affected communities to end this practice.
Dr Mohammed Fahim, Chairman and
Head Imam at South Woodford Mosque, said:
It is important that communities
condemn female genital mutilation, which is not a religious
requirement.
It is an evil practice, which
destroys the lives of young girls.
Women have the right to an
enjoyable, fulfilling sex life but FGM denies them this right and causes many
marriages to collapse.
Prevention is at the heart of
the government’s work on FGM in the UK.
Ministers want to safeguard and
protect all girls and women who may be at risk to avoid the often severe
consequences for their physical and mental health.
The government wants to empower
girls and its vision is to see an end to FGM.
At the same time it wants to
work to ensure that those girls and women living with the consequences of FGM
are given the specialised care and support they need