Resolution number: 07
Title:

Prohibiting of all forms of female genital mutilation

Submitted by: Svenska Folkpartiet (Finland)

The Congress of the Liberal International, convened in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on 20 October 2012

Recognising

• that all forms of gender-based violence constitute an unacceptable violation of fundamental rights and a clear obstacle to gender equality,
• female gender mutilation is one form of violence against women that is particularly unacceptable. Female genital mutilation constitutes a human rights violation and is an expression of unequal power relations. It is frequently carried out on minors and consequently constitutes a violation of the rights of those children, as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The practice also violates a person’s rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to live when the procedure results in death.

Emphasising

• that female genital mutilation is an irreparable abuse that intentionally alters or causes injury to female genitals for non-medical reasons, with irreversible consequences, which affect 140 million women and girls alive today. A further three million girls are at risk of undergoing the procedure each year,
• that any form of female genital mutilation is a harmful traditional practice that cannot be considered part of a religion, but is an act of violence against women and girls which violates their human rights. It can be attributed to a great number of negative effects on a persons’ physical-, psychological-, sexual-, and reproductive health. The harmful practice can cause short- and long term harm. Possible physical complications include severe bleeding and problems urinating, cysts, infections (including HIV), and infertility. It can also contribute to complications in childbirth and can be attributed to an increased risk of newborn deaths,
• that female genital mutilation causes very serious and irreparable injuries in the short and long term to the physical and mental health and rights of women and girls who undergo it, and in some cases can be even fatal,
•  That female genital mutilation cannot be justified by any means and constitutes an elementary breach of basic human rights.

Noting

• the Liberal International resolution on female genital mutilation, adopted at the 49th Congress in Brussels 1999 and the inefficient international progress ever since,
• the request by the African Union Summit on July 2nd 2011 to end female genital mutilation     worldwide,
• the appeal for a worldwide ban on female genital mutilation to the United Nations General Assembly 2012,
• the European Parliament Joint Motion for a Resolution on ending female genital mutilation as of June 14th 2012.

Calls upon member parties and governments:

• to organise educational and awareness raising campaigns for ending female genital mutilation worldwide by harmonizing the actions taken and by issuing recommendations and guidelines for the development and strengthening of regional and international legal instruments and national legislation
• to adopt and implement legislation in their respective countries to ban female genital mutilation and to take all necessary legislative, political  and operational measures aimed at ending the practice,
• to continue to ratify and implement through comprehensive legislation all international instruments that prohibit all forms of female gender mutilation and provide for effective sanctioning against the perpetrators and propagators of this practice
• to promote child rights and women’s rights, girls and women’s education, and access to health care in both government policies and development cooperation as a means to contribute to the mitigation of female genital mutilation.