Per la protezione e la promozione dei diritti umani, della democrazia, dello stato di diritto e della giustizia internazionale
West Africa: Ecowas Member Communities and Experts On Female Genital Mutilation Lay Strategies for the Way Forward
West Africa: Ecowas Member Communities and Experts On Female Genital Mutilation Lay Strategies for the Way Forward
The Pont (Banjul) / AllAfrica, 15 Jun 2016
Government representatives and experts recently concluded a high level consultation to share experiences on strategies used in the campaign to end Female Genital Mutilation in the Senegalese capital Dakar.
The meeting organized by No Peace Without Justice in partnership with the Senegalese Ministry of Women, Family and Children's Affairs, Inter Africa Committee on Traditional Practices, and other partners supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation / Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.
The consultation provided opportunities for the high level meeting to review the implementation of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 69/150 on "intensifying global efforts and sharing good practices to effectively eliminate female genital mutilation" and the fight to eliminate FGM in the ECOWAS countries and Mauritania. The meeting focussed on the particular approaches undertaken in the effective implementation of the existing laws banning FGM at the national level and cooperation to combat trans-border practice of FGM in West Africa.
The high level meeting brought together delegates of the Ministries of Women, Health and Justice of ECOWAS countries and Mauritania, as well as Civil Society participants amongst them the Executive Director of GAMCOTRAP, Dr. Isatou Touray. Speaking as an expert on FGM from The Gambia, Dr. Touray noted that the meeting aimed to revitalize engagement and dialogue between institutions and civil society, as well as contribute to strengthening the political and legislative legal framework to combat FGM as a form of violence against women. The meeting ended with a communiqué to support the total elimination of FGM.
On a separate mission, the Executive Director of GAMCOTRAP is attended an International Conference on Human Rights Approach to Ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in One Generation in Geneva, Switzerland. The two days conference is organized by the Inter-African Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (IAC), with the objective of showcasing best practices, achievements and progress while highlighting challenges and barriers with concrete action points for moving forward the agenda to end Female Genital Mutilation in One Generation.