Violence Against Women, Egypt, FGM, Prison Terms, Government, Punishment, Five Foundation advocacy group, Cairo Foundation for Development and Law, Entessar El-Saeed, Brendan Wynne.
Egypt toughens penalties for female genital mutilation; activists remain sceptical By Menna A. Farouk - 26 April 2021 Most of the 28 countries in Africa where FGM is endemic have banned FGM, although enforcement is generally weak. Image: 123RF/ ammentorp
Egypt has toughened penalties for female genital mutilation (FGM), imposing prison terms of up to 20 years in a push to end the ancient practice.
It is the second time Egypt s parliament has cracked down on FGM - which typically involves the removal of a girl s external genitalia - but activists remain sceptical about enforcement in a country where cutting is deep-rooted and widespread.
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CAIRO, April 26 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Egypt has toughened penalties for female genital mutilation (FGM), imposing prison terms of up to 20 years in a push to end the ancient practice.
It is the second time Egypt’s parliament has cracked down on FGM - which typically involves the removal of a girl’s external genitalia - but activists remain sceptical about enforcement in a country where cutting is deep-rooted and widespread.
“It’s fantastic news that Egypt has strengthened its law on FGM again. However, unless the government takes it seriously this time, nothing is likely to change,” Brendan Wynne, co-founder of The Five Foundation advocacy group, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on Monday.
David Prado
The practice can now carry a 20-year jail sentence.
Activists, however, are sceptical about getting such measures enforced.
Egypt has toughened penalties for female genital mutilation (FGM), imposing prison terms of up to 20 years in a push to end the ancient practice.
It is the second time Egypt s parliament has cracked down on FGM - which typically involves the removal of a girl s external genitalia - but activists remain sceptical about enforcement in a country where cutting is deep-rooted and widespread. It s fantastic news that Egypt has strengthened its law on FGM again. However, unless the government takes it seriously this time, nothing is likely to change, Brendan Wynne, co-founder of The Five Foundation advocacy group, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on Monday.