End FGM EU’s recommendations to the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
From July to December 2025, Denmark presides over the Council of the European Union. To influence EU policy and protect girls and women, the End FGM European Network delivers recommendations on female genital mutilation (FGM) and gender equality to each rotating EU Presidency twice a year.
Following the release of the Danish Presidency programme, the End FGM European Network presents six key recommendations for the upcoming term. This Presidency comes at a crucial moment for the European Union, as it prepares to enter negotiations for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), shape the future of key equality strategies, and implement two major policy initiatives: the Pact on Migration and Asylum (the Pact) and the Directive on combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Directive).
As a network of 42 civil society organisations (CSOs) across 16 European countries, End FGM EU is committed to eliminating female genital mutilation and supporting survivors and individuals at risk. The Network advocates for a Europe and a world free from violence, where gender equality and human rights are not only values but lived realities.
End FGM EU particularly welcomes Denmark’s stated commitment to human dignity, freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and respect for fundamental rights. However, the Network also notes important gaps, especially concerning gender-based violence, intersectionality, access to healthcare and support services, and the specific needs of vulnerable groups, including migrant women and those affected by harmful practices such as FGM. Additionally, End FGM EU highlights concerns about the acute prioritisation of competitiveness and defence, which risks overshadowing these critical social and human rights issues.
A “strong Europe in a changing world” cannot be achieved at the expense of human dignity and fundamental rights. Women’s rights and gender equality are facing a global backlash, with extreme discourses have been normalised, targeting sexual and reproductive health and rights, racialised and LGBTIQ+ people, migrant communities, victims of gender-based and domestic violence, among others. End FGM EU urges the Danish Presidency to place human rights at the core of its agenda, strengthening the European Union’s credibility and role as a global leader by example.
Based on the core values of the EU, the Union’s commitments, and the Council Conclusions on “Preventing and combating all forms of violence against women and girls, including female genital mutilation” of June 2014, End FGM EU calls on the Presidency and the Council to:
- Prompt all Member States to prioritise equality and effectively address Gender-Based Violence including FGM, with a focus on prevention and protection;
- Ensure granting of international protection aligns with fundamental human rights standards;
- Increase and improve data collection specifically on gender-based violence and FGM;
- Increase civil society and community engagement and recognise their core role in upholding the Union’s values;
- Work towards a new MFF that prioritises equality and ending gender-based violence;
- Reaffirm the EU’s external human rights commitments.