United Nations – International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (6 February 2020)

On this International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, France calls on the international community to intensify its efforts to put an end to these practices. These mutilations constitute a violation of the integrity, dignity, security and rights of girls and women. They constitute a major obstacle to achieving gender equality.

France, which is strongly committed to defending the rights of girls and women, has made gender equality a priority of its diplomatic action. France was the first European country to criminalize the practice of female genital mutilation and took strong and resolute action to combat this scourge within the framework of the presidencies of the G7 and the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in 2019. It lends its support to the civil society actors and maternal and child health programs on the ground, such as the French Muskoka Fund and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The promotion of women’s rights will be central to the issues addressed by the Generation Equality Forum - to be hosted by France in July -, convened by UN Women and co-chaired by France and Mexico.