Pledge: I Act to End FGM (2014)

In 2014 before the European Parliament elections, the End FGM European Network called on MEP candidates to build on the work already done in this area, and to ensure continuity in the demands and concerns raised by the European Parliament. Nearly 400 MEP candidates signed a Pledge committing to prioritise ending FGM if they were elected in 2014. 93 of these candidates were elected as MEPs.

In the Pledge that was signed, the MEPs declared that they would work to:

1. Ensure that the EU maintains its commitment to combating violence against women and children, including the elimination of FGM

2. Guarantee that the EU and its Member States sign and ratify the Istanbul Convention (Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women), so that the EU’s commitment complies with international standards promoting a holistic and integrated approach in relation to violence against women and FGM

3. Ensure that FGM is not invoked as a pretext to regulate migration or to foster anti-migrant feelings and actions

4. Promote civil society consultation, and ensure that adequate resources are allocated to efficient prevention initiatives at community level

5. Follow-up with relevant EU bodies and agencies, in particular the European Commission, on the implementation progress of the action plan on the elimination of FGM

6. Guarantee that in particular the following measures included in the action plan are expediently and adequately implemented:

• To foster a better understanding of FGM within the EU through the collection of data on prevalence of the practice
• To promote effective prevention, protection and victim support measures, especially through training modules for health and legal professionals, child protection and support services
• To support Member States in the enforcement of laws prohibiting FGM along with the implementation of the directive on the rights of victims
• To facilitate protection for women and girls at risk within the existing EU legislative framework on asylum, ensuring that references to FGM are included in all training tools and country of origin information
• To ensure that the EU institutions and EU Member States promote the elimination of FGM in all its dialogues with third countries

Photo album: MEPs act to end FGM.