MEETING HIGHLIGHTS THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL

UNCLAS OUAGADOUGOU 000972 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM UV SUBJECT: MEETING HIGHLIGHTS THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION ¶1. Summary: A recent Sub-Regional Meeting on the Fight against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in West Africa, hosted by the first ladies of Burkina Faso and Niger, highlighted the importance of the issue to the two governments. Participants created a regional plan of action that aims to harmonize legislation in the sub-region, making FGM illegal and punishable by law throughout West Africa, in order to eliminate excision by the year 2015. GOBF officials noted that despite their best efforts, Burkina Faso and many other countries in the region have a prevalence rate of 50 percent. First lady Chantal Compaore and other high-profile participants expressed their hope that this regional approach would further decrease the prevalence of, and support for, FGM, and make more actors accountable for the role they play in promoting the practice. End Summary. ¶2. As part of their campaign against FGM in West Africa, the first ladies of Burkina Faso and Niger presided over an October 14-15 meeting on FGM in Ouagadougou. Other participants included Burkina Faso's Minister of Social Action, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) regional director, the Mayor's office of Ouagadougou, and representatives of the first ladies of Benin, Ghana, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire and Togo. ¶3. For almost two decades, recalled Jean Ilboudo of the Mayor's office, countries in West and Central Africa have been engaging in public awareness campaigns to criminalize and discourage excision. Despite their efforts, Ilboudo bemoaned, the FGM prevalence rate in Burkina Faso and in several other countries in the region (including Togo, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, and Ghana) is around 50 percent, and the practice is still being supported by individuals from all areas of society. ¶4. According to conference participants, one factor contributing to the continued prevalence rate of FGM in West Africa is that all countries in the sub-region do not adhere to the same laws, and there are currently no concrete trans-border measures in place preventing supporters of FGM from taking advantage of the weak laws in some countries. For example, in Mali, where the rate is 85 percent, FGM is still legal. As the Minister of Social Action, Pascaline Tamini indicated, women and young girls can be brought across national borders to countries where excision is legal, or where law enforcement is weak. ¶5. In an effort to draw attention to these problems, participants issued a joint declaration and action plan. The declaration and action plan called on governments to harmonize and enforce national laws against FGM, reinvigorate public awareness about FGM as a human rights violation, encourage participation by religious and cultural leaders, and create zero prevalence of FGM in the region by the year ¶2015. Additionally, the plan calls for a regional approach in connection with donor assistance to permit harmonized multi-annual financing for this cause. ¶6. Comment: National efforts to combat FGM in Burkina Faso since 1990 have included the creation of a National Committee (CNLE) for the Fight Against Excision (created in 1990 as part of the Ministry of Social Action),and of three national action plans. Despite these efforts, FGM continues to be a serious concern in Burkina Faso. Hopefully, as a result of this event, with the high-level attention it received due to the presence the first lady, public awareness about the dangers of FGM will continue to grow and tolerance for the practice will decrease. LAEUCHLI