WUNRN
Oct
2nd, 2012 | By uka
With the recent commencement by Minister James Reilly of the Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Act 2012, female genital mutilation (FGM) is now specifically prohibited in Ireland. A person resident in Ireland found guilty of an offence under the new law could be subject to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years or to both. A person resident in Ireland who takes a girl abroad to have FGM performed will be subject to prosecution in Ireland.
Speaking on the commencement of the law, AkiDwA CEO Salome Mbugua said: “Female genital mutilation is a gross violation of the rights of women and children. The new law provides Ireland with the means to comprehensively protect girls and women from this barbaric act. We look forward to Government department agencies and key stakeholders working together on the implementation of the FGM law.”
AkiDwA acknowledges the hard work of many key stakeholders in making this law a reality, in particular the Minister for Health James Reilly, officials in the Department of Health, Senator Ivana Bacik, Comhlámh, the Irish Family Planning Association and the National Steering Committee for Ireland’s National Plan of Action to address FGM.
Ms. Mbugua continued “We call on the Government to sign and ratify The Council of Europe’s Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence. This Convention can provide the Government with the means to revisit the law’s dual criminality requirement.”
It is estimated that over 3,000 women and girls living in Ireland have undergone FGM.
Female Genital Mutilation Facts at a Glance
What is Female Genital Mutilation?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines Female Genital Mutilation as the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or any practice that purposely alters or injures the female genital organs for non-medical reasons (WHO 2008:4). The majority of girls undergo FGM before their fifteenth birthday (WHO 2008: 4).
FGM is classified into four main groups:
Type I
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Partial or total removal of the clitoris and/or the prepuce (clitoridectomy). |
Type II
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Partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora (excision). |
Type III
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Narrowing of the vaginal orifice with creation of a covering seal by cutting and appositioning the labia minora and/or the labia majora, with or without excision of the clitoris (infibulation). |
Type IV
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All other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non medical purposes, e.g. pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterisation. |
Where does FGM occur?
FGM takes place in 28 African countries and is also practiced in Yemen, North Iraq, Indonesia and other Asian countries. Prevalence within countries can vary widely and is often dependant on tribal and regional traditions and criteria for marriage (WHO 2008:4). FGM is not a requirement of any religion (WHC 2008:7). Legal and anecdotal evidence suggests the practice has spread to Europe, Australia and North America (UK Government Equalities Office, 2009:1). European organisations’ work on FGM indicates many girls are brought to practising countries during their school’s summer holidays to undergo the procedure.
What are the statistics?
Globally the World Health Organization estimates that between 100 and 140 million women and girls have undergone FGM and more than 3 million girls are at risk of FGM every year in Africa (WHO 2008: 4). Using Irish 2010 census data, Reception and Integration Agency figures and synthesising with global FGM prevalence data, gives an estimate of 3,170 women living in Ireland who have undergone FGM.
What are the consequences of FGM?
The health consequences of FGM are severe and can include death and many long term chronic conditions. FGM often takes place in unsanitary conditions with no anaesthetic and with unsterile instruments which can lead to shock, haemorrhage, infections and virus transmission. Many of the long term consequences of FGM relate to pregnancy and childbirth and include increased risk of maternal and child death (AkiDwA/RCSI 2009: 6). The psychological and counselling needs of women who have undergone FGM are also important and often neglected.