The Council of Europe (COE) and Amnesty International have released a new guide called, “A Tool to End Female Genital Mutilation.” The guide is intended to help governments and civil society use the COE Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) to end the harmful practice of female genital mutilation (FGM).
The guide contains sections on preventing FGM, protecting and supporting victims, punishing perpetrators, and developing effective policies to end the practice. Each section provides best practice examples and outlines applicable articles and requirements in the Istanbul Convention to guide state actions.
The Istanbul Convention entered into force on August 1, 2014. The Convention, named for its adoption in Istanbul in 2011, is Europe's first comprehensive treaty designed to combat all forms of violence against women, including stalking, sexual harassment, rape, domestic violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation. To date, fifteen countries have ratified the Istanbul Convention and are legally bound by its terms. Another twenty-two countries have signed the Convention, which is the first step towards ratification.
Compiled from: Council of Europe and Amnesty International release guide against female genital mutilation, Council of Europe (November 25, 2014); A Tool to End Female Genital Mutilation, Council of Europe and Amnesty International (November 2014).