Ms. Hilde F. Johnson Minister of International Development

Fight against female genital mutilation

Opening statement at a seminar in Oslo, 26 June 2003

Ladies and gentlemen,

While we are gathered here today, thousands of girls are being subjected to genital mutilation. As I speak, a vulnerable girl-child, with no possibility of protecting herself is falling victim to this atrocious tradition. In addition to the pain and humiliation, a number of her human rights are being violated. Her right to freedom and reproductive and sexual health is being disregarded. Her right to physical integrity and self-determination is being abused. Her right to security and freedom from the infliction of pain is being set aside. Even her fundamental right to life is being threatened. This girl will probably suffer the consequences of genital mutilation for the rest of her life, just like the 130 million girls and women worldwide who have undergone the procedure before her.

Female genital mutilation is a grave violation of fundamental human rights. So far we have not done enough to help the girls and women who are submitted to this brutal procedure. So far we have let them down. The statistics speak for themselves. Nearly two million girls are at risk every year. Even though female genital mutilation is being increasingly recognised as a human rights and health issue, we are still facing enormous challenges.

Today the Norwegian Government is launching an international plan of action to combat female genital mutilation. With this plan we have committed ourselves to intensifying our efforts to eradicate this brutal tradition. I believe the plan provides a firm foundation for continuing and intensifying them. Let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to the action plan. Many of you are present today, as representatives of NGOs. The Government very much values your experience and expertise, and our future efforts depend on our continuing co-operation.

The Government is initiating and supporting measures to prevent female genital mutilation through social mobilisation at the local level. And we will support measures for providing treatment and rehabilitation to girls and women who have undergone the procedure. Lastly, we will work to enhance knowledge and build competence on a broad scale and at all levels.

A multi-faceted approach is necessary to prevent female genital mutilation and mobilise against it. I want to emphasise the importance of the work that local and Norwegian NGOs and international organisations are doing in this area. With the action plan, we have committed ourselves to increasing our financial support to NGOs by 25 per cent. Because we recognise their efforts, and because we depend on their knowledge and experience. The Government will also increase financial support to international organisations that are active in combating female genital mutilation. This funding is being channelled through our embassies in Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda.

The work being done by organisations is vital if we are to succeed in ending female genital mutilation. But equally important is the involvement of committed governments in the countries where the practice occurs. Policy makers from donor countries are in a position to influence their counterparts in partner countries. We will include the problem of female genital mutilation in our bilateral dialogues, and emphasise the governments’ legal and political responsibilities under international law.

In recent years the international community has adopted a number of conventions that help us in our efforts to end female genital mutilation. The Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is the most rapidly ratified human rights convention in history, is particularly important here. All the states that have ratified it are obliged to take effective measures to abolish traditional practices that are harmful to children’s health.

Our work is firmly based on a human rights perspective, and this perspective underpins our dialogues with governments in countries where female genital mutilation is practised. It also underlines the responsibility of each state to protect the rights and security of girls and women. A rights-based approach enables us to emphasise the importance of this fact. Furthermore, it permits us to promote the adoption of national policies and action plans to end female genital mutilation. Governments must be encouraged to develop broad-based strategies, including anti-female genital mutilation laws, the training of health providers and teachers at all levels, and the allocation of resources to the work against female genital mutilation.

I believe in community-based change. I believe in empowering women, equipping them with greater awareness of their own position and giving them the strength to break this cycle. Through community-based education, we must raise awareness of the harmful nature of the practice, and promote the recognition that female genital mutilation violates human rights. This will enable us to change behaviour in communities and foster a willingness to abandon this tradition.

Awareness raising, empowerment and education at the local level – I believe these are the main elements of a fruitful approach. If our approach is not rooted in the community and if local people are not involved, we will not succeed in changing attitudes and behaviour. We must be sensitive to local differences and we must understand the cultural background of the tradition.

Female genital mutilation is a local cultural tradition, not a religious doctrine. In order to communicate effectively with these communities, we must understand the cultural context that makes female genital mutilation possible. In many cases the practice is a social rite of passage into womanhood. The ritual serves as an act of socialisation and forges an important link with family and community. Mothers, grandmothers and whole societies believe that the tradition secures the girls’ futures. It is a paradox that parents go in for this procedure out of love for their daughters. Parents are much the same everywhere – they want what’s best for their children.

However senseless and destructive the cultural values behind female genital mutilation may seem to us, we must keep in mind that they are meaningful for those involved. Criticism and condemnation will get us nowhere. We must first try to understand the beliefs that have given meaning this practice over the centuries. Then we must try to change them. This will be a long and difficult process. Female genital mutilation could continue forever if we are unable to convince millions of men and women to abandon it.

The International Plan of Action to Combat Female Genital Mutilation also includes measures for improving services for the treatment and rehabilitation of girls and women who have undergone the procedure. Female genital mutilation often damages a girl’s health for the rest of her life. It is vital that health providers at all levels not only receive training on how to prevent female genital mutilation, but also on how to treat it.

There is a lot of impressive and groundbreaking work being done to eradicate female genital mutilation. But sometimes I wonder why we haven’t got further. However, I am encouraged by the amount of insight and knowledge that is available. If we are to be successful, we must give priority to data collection and analysis, and to high quality research. We must evaluate the different approaches and methods, and we must learn from each other’s successes and failures.

Furthermore, it is imperative that everyone, from the local teacher to organisations and authorities, has access to information and training. Knowledge empowers girls and women, and knowledge is the key to preventing and mobilising against female genital mutilation. This is why targeted information and enhanced knowledge are central goals of our action plan.

The fact that female genital mutilation continues to be practised is connected with the fact that many girls and women are being deprived of their rights. It is also related to women’s marginalised position in many societies and their lack of economic and social opportunities. Combating this tradition is also a matter of promoting the equality, dignity and physical integrity of girls and women.

The principal objective of Norwegian development co-operation is to improve economic, social and political conditions in developing countries, in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. To achieve this, we must promote equal rights and opportunities for women and men. I firmly believe in strengthening girls’ and women’s human rights and position on a broad scale. On the one hand this is an end in itself. On the other hand, promoting the human rights and the general position of girls and women has far-reaching benefits.

We are committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, which have been universally adopted. Several of the goals are directed towards the rights and health of women and children. The action plan for combating female genital mutilation is also a contribution towards reaching these goals.

Healthy and educated girls provide a sound foundation for economic development in a community. I believe education – and in particular, girls’ education – is the most effective path out of poverty. The Government has recently developed a strategy for delivering education for all by 2015. We have committed ourselves to ensuring primary schooling for all, and to eliminating gender discrimination in education.

Female genital mutilation could go on forever unless we are able to convince local communities to abandon the practice. We are facing enormous challenges. It is discouraging that the overall prevalence of female genital mutilation has not been reduced over the past few years. However, changes are taking place and the positive results achieved in many communities give cause for optimism. We need to keep searching for effective and constructive approaches. And we need to co-ordinate our work and share our experience.

At the UN Special Session on Children in 2002, all member states agreed to work towards combating female genital mutilation by 2010. Let us join forces, and commit ourselves to this common goal. Let us make sure that today’s grim statistics do not persist.

Thank you for your attention.