Campaign to ban FGM worldwide

General objective
The objective of NPWJ’s FGM initiatives in Africa is to promote the adoption and effective application of national legislation banning FGM. Since 2010, an additional goal is to involve those parliamentarians and activists who have been the most active in fighting FGM in the campaign for the UNGA Resolution, facilitating their contributions and their ability to encourage their Foreign Affairs Ministries and Missions at the UN to commit to the Resolution.
 
Activities
Parliamentary and advocacy Initiatives
In cooperation with national partner organizations, NPWJ organised special sessions of parliament or parliamentary workshops as well as advocacy initiatives, involving also representatives of the government, civil society and women’s rights activists, international NGOs present in the country and United Nations Agencies committed to combat the practice.
 
 
List of main events
 

 
National Workshop in Djibouti in support of the Ban FGM Campaign
Djibouti, 15 April 2012
On 15 April 2012, the National Union of Women of Djibouti (UNFD) and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs of Djibouti, in partnership with No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) and the Ban FGM Coalition, convened a national event in Djibouti in support of the international campaign for a worldwide ban on female genital mutilation. The meeting brought together representatives from the relevant government ministries (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry for the Advancement of Women, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Justice), parliamentarians, civil society activists as well as representatives of international and regional organizations.
 
 

“International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM”: For a worldwide ban on this human rights violation in 2012
Africa, 6 February 2012
Under the theme “From Malabo to New York: Support the Resolution of the UN General Assembly Banning FGM in The World”, various initiatives and events were organized in cooperation with members of the Ban FGM Coalition in most of the African countries affected by the practice, in particular in Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Togo, Sierra Leone, Uganda and The Gambia. The purpose of these events was to recall the commitment taken by the African Union and its member States to promote the adoption of a resolution to ban female genital mutilation worldwide at the sixty-sixth session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
 
 

 
UIP-IGAD: Declaration by the Caucus of Women Parliamentarians in support of a UNGA resolution banning FGM worldwide
Djibouti, 9 January 2012
During the 5th Session of the Executive Committee of the Inter-Parliamentarian Union of the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (UIP-IGAD), held in Djibouti, on 7–9 January 2012, the members of the Caucus of Women Parliamentarians adopted a Declaration calling for the successful completion of the UN process to ban female genital mutilation worldwide
 
 
National event in support of a UNGA resolution to Ban FGM worldwide
Dakar, Senegal, 20 December 2011
On 19-21 December 2011, a national event in support of the Ban FGM Campaign was organized in Dakar, Senegal, by the Network of Parliamentarians for Population and Development and the NGO La Palabre, in cooperation with No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) and the Ban FGM Coalition.
 
 

 
Ban FGM Stocktaking and Strategy meeting
Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, 19-21 November 2011
On 19-21 November, No Peace Without Justice brought together activists and organizations of the BanFGM Coalition in Abijdan, Cote d’Ivoire, to discuss the Campaign for a United Nations General Assembly Resolution to ban FGM worldwide. This is the first time that such a large group of members of the Coalition has come together for this purpose since the Inter-Parliamentary Conference held in Dakar in March 2010.
 
 

 
African Union’s decision to support the adoption of a UNGA resolution to Ban FGM worldwide
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, 1st July 2011
At the conclusion of the 17th Summit of the African Union (AU) held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, the heads of African states approved a Declaration calling for the adoption at the 66th session of a UN General Assembly of a resolution banning FGM worldwide.
 
 
 

 
Celebrating the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation
Addis Abeba - African Countries, 6 February 2011
On 6 February 2011, organizations from over sixteen African countries where FGM is committed reaffirmed their demands of their respective national governments as well as of the international community: ban FGM as a violation of the universal human rights of women and girls.
 
 
 
Parliamentary Motion calling for a UNGA Resolution banning FGM
Kampala, Uganda, 8 June 2010
The Parliament of Uganda passed a motion "for a united Nations Resolution banning Female Genital Mutilation to be presenetd by the Ugandan Government, The East African legislative Assembly and the African Union at the 65th Session of the United Nations General Assembly".
 
 

 
Dakar Inter-parliamentary Conference on FGM: “Towards the ban of the practice at the United Nations”
Dakar, Senegal, 3 and 4 May 2010
 
The Dakar Inter-Parliamentary Conference, held on 3-4 May 2010, brought together parliamentarians who have been most active in the fight against FGM, ministers and ministerial officials engaged in the fight and representatives of regional and sub-regional inter-governmental organizations, such as the African Union, the Pan-African Parliament, ECOWAS and IGAD, as well as the most committed women’s rights activists.
The Dakar Inter-parliamentary Conference concluded with the adoption of a Final Declaration calling for the adoption of a resolution explicitly banning FGM worldwide as a violation of human rights of women and girls during the 65th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
 
 
National Parliamentary Workshop on “Female Genital Mutilation and the Law”
Nouakchott, Mauritania, 3- 4 February 2010
On 3-4 February 2010, NPWJ and the Mauritanian Committee on Traditional Practices Affecting the Health of Women and Children (AMPSFE - IAC Mauritania), together with the Mauritanian Network of Parliamentarians on Population and Development, organized a parliamentary Workshop on “Female Genital Mutilation and the Law”, which was held at the National Assembly of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. The workshop concluded with the adoption of a Final Declaration stressing the need to enact a specific and effective law banning Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) within a year in Mauritania and calling on the Mauritanian authorities to fully support the campaign for the adoption of a resolution by the General Assembly of the United Nations specifically focused on the banning of FGM.