In a belated response to continuing female genital mutilation (FGM), members of Uganda's Parliament have drafted a bill designed to criminalize FGM. Previous attempts by the government to conduct public awareness campaigns have not effectively deterred the practice of FGM. The Kapchorwa local government has already criminalized FGM, but it lacks the power to sufficiently punish perpetrators.FGM is still on the rise in some areas in Uganda and is frequently performed on girls aged 10-15 that are subsequently forced into marriage. It can result in increased vulnerability to HIV, risk of maternal and infant mortality, and harms girls' and women's psychological, sexual and reproductive health.
Compiled from: Uganda: Criminalize Female Genital Mutilation, Africa News, 14 December 2008.