Submission of GREVIO Joint Shadow Reports: Belgium

Together with our Belgian member, GAMS BE, we have submitted a shadow report to GREVIO to highlight the current situation and provide concrete recommendations on prevention, protection, prosecution, and integrated policies related to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Belgium. 

Read the report on Belgium (English)

Read the report on Belgium (French)

The 1st cycle of thematic evaluation: building trust by providing support, protection and justice is produced by GAMS Belgique in coordination with End FGM EU, in order to highlight the current situation and propose concrete recommendations as part of the first thematic evaluation of FGM in Belgium.

Although this report focuses solely on this practice, its aim is not to isolate it, but rather to highlight it while placing it within the continuum of gender-based violence against women and girls. This report represents the Belgian chapter of a wider effort by End FGM EU to urge all its members to submit a report focusing on FGM to GREVIO in order to draw expert attention to this subject, which is too often neglected by national authorities.

The recommendations in this report are based on the analysis made by GAMS Belgium and End FGM EU following our first alternative report presented in 2020.

Background information

FGM is not only a cultural issue but a human rights violation, and addressing it requires a multi-faceted approach involving education, legal enforcement, and community engagement. In Europe, significant efforts are being made to combat this harmful practice, but more work is needed to fully eradicate it.
Portugal is among the countries where concerted action has been taken to address FGM, yet challenges persist in the fight to protect vulnerable populations.

In recent years, authorities have implemented measures that focus on education, awareness-raising, and support for victims. Health and social care professionals are now more equipped to identify and respond to cases of FGM, ensuring that affected women and girls receive the necessary care and support. However, gaps remain in areas such as data collection, enforcement of legal measures, and providing adequate protection for at-risk groups, particularly in immigrant communities.

The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (known as the “Istanbul Convention”) is the first legally binding instrument recognising that FGM is also a European issue. It is shaped around the "four Ps approach" (prevention, protection, prosecution and integrated policies) to end violence against women and includes a specific Article (38) on criminalisation of FGM.

To ensure proper national implementation, the Istanbul Convention established a monitoring body, the Group of Experts on Action against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (GREVIO), which periodically reviews State Parties to the Convention. 

GREVIO is the independent expert body responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (Istanbul Convention) by the parties, made up of 15 independent experts.
It draws up and publishes reports evaluating legislative and other measures taken by the parties to give effect to the provisions of the convention.
In cases where action is required to prevent a serious, massive or persistent pattern of any acts of violence covered by the convention, GREVIO may initiate a special inquiry procedure. GREVIO may also adopt, where appropriate, general recommendations on themes and concepts of the convention.