After 16 years of debate, in June 2011, the National Popular Assembly of Guinea-Bissau passed a law prohibiting female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C). Implementing the legislation may prove to be a challenge, as 33% percent of women in Guinea-Bissau approve of FGM/C and the practice of FGM/C has long been accepted in Guinea-Bissaun culture. However, UNICEF, UNFPA, and the NGO Tostan will combine efforts to promote the end of FGM/C by seeking public declarations against FGM/C in the 39 communities where the practice is most prevalent.
Compiled from: Interagency Gender Working Group, UNICEF (September 13, 2011)