Documents to download

The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation aims to raise awareness of the practice and work towards the elimination of female genital mutilation, which is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women; reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. In July 2014, the UK and UNICEF co-hosted the first Girl Summit, aimed at mobilising domestic and international efforts to end FGM within a generation. FGM has been a criminal offence in the UK since the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985 (later replaced by the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003). Despite it being a criminal offence, the first criminal prosecution did not take place until 2014 when a doctor was alleged to have performed FGM, but acquitted after trial. The House of Commons Home Affairs Committee’s latest report, Female Genital Mutilation: Abuse Unchecked, 15 September 2016, makes recommendations to encourage more successful prosecutions.


Documents to download

Related posts

  • Youth mobility schemes

    The UK has schemes to allow young people from specific countries to come to the UK to live and work for a limited period of time. In April 2024, the European Commission made a proposal to the European Council to open negotiations with the UK on agreeing a youth mobility scheme between the UK and the EU. The Labour government has stated that it has no plans for a scheme with the EU. Several organisations have expressed support for it, but others have expressed concern that it would be a return to a form of freedom of movement.

    Youth mobility schemes
  • Rape: Levels of prosecutions

    In the 2021 ‘End-to-end rape review’, the Conservative government pointed to a sharp decrease in rape prosecutions since 2016/17. Issues cited include long delays during the criminal justice process and a lack of specialist support for victims. Labour’s 2024 general election manifesto argued prosecutions were “shamefully low”. It committed to specialist rape and sexual offences teams in every police force and specialist courts to fast-track rape cases.

    Rape: Levels of prosecutions
  • What is the current situation for healthcare in Gaza? Infrastructure damage, risks to health, and UK government response

    Gaza’s healthcare system is in crisis. Most facilities are damaged beyond use, and those remaining open face shortages of water, fuel and medical supplies. Gaza’s 1.9 million displaced people are at risk of malnutrition, starvation and the spread of infectious diseases. The UK government has called for civilians and medics to be protected, for aid and relief agencies to have consistent access, and for an end to the conflict.

    What is the current situation for healthcare in Gaza? Infrastructure damage, risks to health, and UK government response