Bill would impose jail for female genital mutilation

Published: Wednesday, July 13, 2011

LEGISLATION TO prevent female genital mutilation "is the first step to ensuring this practice does not take hold in Ireland", Minister for Health Dr James Reilly has told the Dáil. Introducing the Bill, he described the practice of the partial or total removal of external female genitalia as a "gross violation of women's human rights".

Dr Reilly said that between 100 million and 140 million girls and women worldwide had been subjected to some form of such mutilation or cutting, and a further three million girls were at risk each year.

Click here to read the full article by Marie O'Halloran in the Irish Times.