Governmental Action Plan against Female
Genital Mutilation
Foreword
Norway has been shaken by the
recent reports of female genital mutilation. The episodes of
genital mutilation performed on young girls and the attitudes to
this tradition that were reported in Norwegian media are shocking.
Abuse of this kind must be combatted and this work is now high on
the political agenda.
Genital mutilation violates the
fundamental human rights of non-discrimination, the right to
privacy and the right to health. Genital mutilation has been a
criminal offence in Norway for a long time. In 1995, a law
specifically prohibiting female genital mutilation was adopted. The
intention of this law was to make the position of the Norwegian
authorities on female genital mutilation clearer. However, the law
is relatively unknown and Norwegian personnel have not been trained
to take a proactive approach to the problem or give professional
help to victims of genital mutilation. An important part of this
action plan is therefore to spread information and to educate.
To combat the problem, it is
necessary to increase awareness by informing the public, health
personnel and practitioners of female genital mutilation of all the
health hazards and psychological damage caused. This requires the
active involvement of political leaders, the professions and the
groups concerned. Persons from appropriate communities will have
considerable influence and a greater possibility of preventing
these practices than representatives of society at large.
Consequently, the Government will give particular emphasis to
involving the relevant groups in the implementation of the various
efforts.
Much of the action plan will be
implemented as a project, including developing training and
information materials, building up expertise etc. and testing out
methods of combating female genital mutilation. Parallel with the
Government’s national efforts, it is important to support a similar
process at the international level. Bilateral cooperation with
African countries working to combat female genital mutilation will
therefore be intensified.
Some women’s groups have already
been working in this area for some time and some young women have
stepped forward to tell of their own experiences and have taken up
the issue in the public arena and within their own communities.
These are strong, courageous women, able and willing to pursue an
objective, but they also need help to promote their standpoint in a
foreign country. This action plan is intended as a contribution to
our joint effort to combat female genital mutilation.
Karita Bekkemellem Orheim
Action Plan in French -
Q-1012F, PDF
Action Plan in Somali -
Q-1012SOM, PDF