Minya--About 1000 girls from eight villages in Minya Governorate participated yesterday in a demonstration against female genital mutilation (FGM) that was organized by the rights group Al-Haya Al-Afdal (Better Life). The march coincided with the United Nations' International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. During the protest, girls repeated anti-circumcision slogans and called for the implementation of Law 126/2008, which criminalizes the practice of FGM. Protesters also called for the activation of child rescue hotline 16000, which is supervised by the the National Council on Childhood and Motherhood. The march passed through the streets of Manshiyat Sawada, east of the Nile River. Magda Naguib, coordinator for the march, said that girls came from the villages of Hawarta, Ezbet el-Wabour, Daoudiya, Muqarrar, Faragallah, Sawada, and Ezbet Sawada. Maher Beshri, board manager at Al-Haya Al-Afdal, announced a competition for media outlets covering events related to violence and physical harm against children and families. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
