Sir, – The introduction of legislation to prevent female genital mutilation (Dáil Report, July 14th) is a welcome and progressive step, bringing Ireland in line with international best practice and providing much-needed legal clarity.
Female genital mutilation or cutting, as it is also known, is estimated to have affected 140 million women and girls around the world today. Each year, about three million girls, or 8,200 girls per day, are subjected to this practice.
Many bleed to death or die as a result of the procedure and survivors can suffer severe and lasting effects, such as menstrual problems, painful sexual intercourse, HIV/AIDs, infertility, birth complications and infection from being cut by dirty utensils.
Plan Ireland is lobbying government and working alongside local grassroots organisations in west Africa and elsewhere to change public attitudes by raising awareness and educating government and local communities. Since the introduction of this approach, Guinea Bissau has recently introduced a law to criminalise female genital cutting and many communities and villages in west Africa have abandoned the practice.
It is encouraging to see Ireland is taking steps to deal with this issue by making it an offence to remove a girl or woman from the State for the purpose of such mutilation. – Yours, etc,