We need to talk about GFM
The practice of Female Genital Mutilation is a major issue amongst certain immigrant communities in Ireland. However, activists like Ifrah Ahmed are hopeful that new legislation before the Dáil – which will make it illegal to remove a child from the State for the purposes of FGM – will put an end to the practice.
Anne Sexton, 25 Aug 2011
“At Amnesty, we look at it from a human rights perspective,” says Ní Chaithnía. “Our point of view is that the right to life, the right to bodily integrity and the right to dignity for a woman trump any claims to practice it because of culture. If someone’s life is going to be put at risk because of any practice, we must legislate against that. That would apply with any cultural practice.”
While the legislation is a tool to stop the practice of FGM in affected communities, it is also provides guidelines for medical practitioners, the police and others who come into contact with communities affected by FGM.
“One of the positions of the bill is that it will be illegal for medical practitioners to carry out re-infibulation after childbirth. There will have to be medical treatment of the individual,” says Ní Chaithnía.
“The other part is that the legislation is making a political statement and it is providing clarity for the Gardaí and the judiciary. There is also an explanatory memorandum attached to the legislation that includes an explanation about FMG being a human rights violation and a form of gender-based violence.”
Just recently, the controversial asylum-seeker Pamela Izevbekhai was deported to Nigeria. The Izevbekhai case is complicated, given the presence of falsified documents, but she did base much of her asylum claim on the FGM risk to her two young daughters.
Ifrah Ahmed and Amnesty have been calling for more transparent gender guidelines for the asylum process, so that gender-based claims like Izevbekhai’s can be viewed with an appropriate sense of gravity. The new legislation, however, does not change anything in that regard.
“The upcoming legislation is a criminal justice bill so it is not going to affect the asylum rights of individuals. But as FGM is a form of gender-based violence it is already considered a basis to apply for asylum,” says Ní Chaithnía.
The law is certainly a step in the right direction. Community education is working too, but it is a long process.
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