More girls in Britain are at risk of female genital mutilation than anywhere else in Europe, a shock report revealed today.
More than 65,000 have fallen victim to the criminal practice and a further 30,000 are at risk, according to a European study.
Today the Government pledged £35 million to eradicate female genital mutilation (FGM) within a generation — the biggest ever international investment aimed at fighting it.
International development minister Lynne Featherstone said the target was to reduce FGM by 30 per cent in five years, and stamp it out in a generation. The money will pay for work abroad and in the UK.
Ms Featherstone said: “It is time to break the taboo. For too long the international community has been cowardly on this subject, finding it too difficult to tackle. Girls around the world have suffered a lifetime of damage, sometimes even death, as a result.
“Female genital cutting is one of the worst kinds of gender violence. We know most families want the best for their children and education and changing cultural norms, rather than merely condemnation, is key.”
“My aim is to ensure that very soon FGM is as outdated as foot-binding. We mustn’t be satisfied until we’ve seen the end of FGM worldwide.”
