Submission of GREVIO Joint Shadow Reports: Portugal

Together with our Portuguese member, APF, 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 Portugal. While this report focuses on FGM, it emphasizes the practice within the broader continuum of gender-based violence against women and girls, advocating for a comprehensive and holistic approach to tackling these issues.. 

Read the report on Portugal

The "NGO Input to GREVIO – Portugal: 1st Thematic Evaluation" is a collaborative effort between APF and End FGM EU. It highlights the current situation of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Portugal and offers concrete recommendations within the framework of GREVIO's first thematic evaluation. While the report highlights FGM, it is part of a larger effort to consider gender-based violence in its entirety and present holistic recommendations to the experts.

This report is a part of End FGM EU's coordinated initiative to engage members from countries under GREVIO review, ensuring that FGM is given the necessary attention by state authorities. The initiative builds on the foundational Guide on the Istanbul Convention as a tool to end FGM, a document produced by the Amnesty International End FGM European Campaign and the Council of Europe. The recommendations follow up on previous shadow reports and the 2019 GREVIO recommendations, reinforcing the importance of a comprehensive approach to addressing FGM through prevention, protection, prosecution, and integrated policies. The report highlights the need for more comprehensive and sustained action to protect women and girls including:

• Stronger collaboration between government agencies, NGOs, and community leaders to prevent FGM at its roots.
  

• Effective training for professionals who come into contact with survivors or those at risk, along with cultural sensitivity, is critical in ensuring that the legal framework is effectively implemented.

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. This report is part of that ongoing monitoring effort.