African Union United To End Female Genital Mutilation in Africa

African Union United To End Female Genital Mutilation in Africa

This February the African Union is launching a campaign to eliminate FGM at its conference in Addis Ababa, The goal is to set up a mechanism for African countries to report regularly on their progress, making them accountable to the public and the international community, says Nafissatou Diop, coordinator of the UNFPA-UNICEF joint program on the elimination of FGM.

The African Union has adopted legally binding instruments that promote the prohibition of traditional practices that are prejudicial to the health and welfare of young girls and women. Among others, Article 21 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child obliges States Parties to eliminate harmful social and cultural practices, such as FGM, that affect the welfare, dignity, normal growth and development of the child.

 In addition, Article 5 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ ‘Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa(Maputo Protocol) explicitly requires States Parties to prohibit and condemn all forms of harmful practices, such as FGM, which negatively affect the human rights of women and to take all necessary legislative and other measures to eliminate such practices.

- https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20160206-0

Since 2006, the African Union has repeatedly called for the end of female genital mutilation in Africa.