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