From The London Evening Standard: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/britain-has-65000-victims-of-female-mutilation–and-another-30000-are-at-risk-8522402.html
Today the Government pledged £35 million to help eradicate female genital mutilation within a generation. International development minister Lynne Featherstone announced the fund, which will pay for overseas programmes and work with diaspora communities within Britain.
The target is to reduce FGM by 30 per cent in five years, and to stop it completely within a generation.
Meanwhile, a separate EU campaign was launched, with £13 million to help victims. Viviane Reding, vice-president of the European Commission, met campaigners against FGM to discuss how to tackle the issue, ahead of International Women’s Day on Friday.
She said: “Today the Commission is joining forces with some very inspiring women to call for zero tolerance for female genital mutilation, an extremely harmful practice which violates the human rights of women and girls.
“The EU will fight to end female genital mutilation — not only on International Women’s Day but on all 365 days of the year.”
The research was carried out by the European Institute for Gender Equality. It found there were victims or potential victims in at least 13 EU countries. Britain had the most, followed by France and the Netherlands.
Each year about 6,500 girls in London, mostly aged between four and 15, are thought to be at risk of FGM.
Continue reading at: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/britain-has-65000-victims-of-female-mutilation–and-another-30000-are-at-risk-8522402.html
