Female Genital Mutilation

The Group has been active over the last decade in lobbying and advocating on the issue of FGM. The Chair of the Group, Christine McCafferty MP, with the support of NGOs and parliamentary colleagues put forward a Ten Minute Rule Bill to amend the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act of 1985.

At the beginning of the 2002-03 parliamentary session, Ann Clwyd MP won seventh place in the ballot for Private Member's Bills. She has now taken on the Ten Minute Rule Bill with the support of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health.

The Bill gained Royal Assent on the 23 October 2003 and is now law.

The Ten Minute Rule Bill is based on the conclusions reached by a parliamentary hearing organised by the Group in 2000. See below for details of the Parliamentary Hearing held in 2000 and details of the survey produced by the group.

FGM Parliamentary Hearing 2000

• Click here to view the Survey Report & Analysis
• Click here to view the Parliamentary Hearing Report
• Click here to view the evidence transcript

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FGM continues to be a subject of concern and debate in the UK Parliament. For more recent information about this issue can be found in the Parliamentary News section of the website.