The National Council for Childhood and Motherhood is to organize “Cairo Declaration +5 for Legislation and Female Circumcision” conference on December 14 and 15 at Intercontinental City Stars Hotel, Nasr City. The conference would be attended by Mrs. Suzanne Mubarak, the head of NCCM's consulting technical committee. It would be held in co-operation with an Italian institution. A constellation of specialists and experts from Egypt and world countries are to attend the conference, plus politicians and media personalities interested in putting an end to female genital mutilation. The meeting is hoped to encourage political and social efforts to end this violent practice. The delegation on the second day would tour Qalyubia to visit Sinsabis village, Zirab Ezbit An-Nakhl, to attend the celebration of the declaration of anti-female genital circumcision. The conference follows up the results of “the Arab-African conference for legislation and female circumcision” held in Cairo in June 2003 and attended by 28 Arab and African countries where this problem exists, said Mushira Khattab, NCCM secretary-general. This particular conference contributed to classifying the issue of circumcision as a top political and social priority in a large number of participating countries. These countries adopted national policies and intensive media campaigns to criminalize this practice, she added.
