CAIRO: To mark the International Day against Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) released a statement calling for stronger commitment to end the practice. "We call on governments to protect the rights of women and girls, said Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of UNFPA. "We call on leaders to take action to end female genital mutilation in line with the United Nations resolution adopted last year, she added. The resolution said the practice "constitutes an irreparable, irreversible abuse, citing mounting medical research that proves the health threats caused by FGM. Among such threats is increasing vulnerability to HIV, raising the risk of maternal and infant mortality, and harming women's psychological, sexual and reproductive health. Obaid noted that an estimated 100 million to 140 million women and girls worldwide have undergone the practice, and three million more girls are at risk each year. She added that many chose to suffer in silence in fear of being excluded from their communities. In line with the resolution, UNFPA calls on governments to develop effective policies for the elimination of female genital mutilation. We urge all decision makers, at all levels, to play leadership roles in eliminating female genital mutilation. We call on national and community leaders to support the development of prevention and educational programs, which take into account local beliefs and realities, she said in the statement. Intensified efforts are urgently needed to stop the practice in all its forms. Today, UNFPA pledges to increase support for efforts to end female genital mutilation/cutting. We call on governments and other partners to contribute to the UNFPA/UNICEF joint program and trust fund to end the harmful practice in one generation in 17 high-prevalence countries. " The statement noted that a national alliance has been actively combating FGM in Egypt for more than a decade. UNFPA is supporting these national initiatives. In it s past 5-year cycle of program assistance (2002-2006) UNFPA provided technical and financial support to the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, Global Youth Partners and the Egyptian Family Planning Association to raise awareness on FGM among youth, their caretakers and religious leaders in schools, medical clinics, youth-centers and seminars. In its upcoming cycle of program assistance (2007-2011) UNFPA will scale up its support for initiatives to combat FGM by providing substantial support to the NCCM-led FGM- Free-Village-Project that aims to reverse existing community peer-pressure and eliminate the practice in villages across Egypt. Five villages have already organized symbolic festivities to mark their joint decision to ban FGM and it is likely that many of the other project-villages will follow suit in the future.
