End FGM EU Contributes to CHAT Plus Closing Panel at the European Parliament

On the 7th April, End FGM EU was represented by our Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, Xheni Dani, in a panel discussion on female genital mutilation (FGM) at the European Parliament.

The event, co-hosted by MEP Alessandra Moretti (S&D, Italy) , concluded the project CHAT Plus, led by Fondazione Albero della Vita within a consortium composed among others of three member organisations of the End FGM European Network: AkiDwA; Fundacion Wassu-UAB; and APF. It also saw the participation of MEPs Benedetta Scuderi (Greens/EFA, Italy), Marit Maij (S&D, the Netherlands), Heléne Fritzon (S&D, Sweden - video contribution) and former MEP Frances Fitzgerald (EPP, Ireland - online).

During the event, panellists expressed their views and position on the elimination of female genital mutilation, with MEPs reinforcing their commitment to work towards the prevention and overcoming of FGM and GBV (gender-based violence). Moreover, all consortium partners and youth that participated in the different project phases shared their experience and lessons learned.

Our Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, Xheni Dani, took the opportunity to present the main priorities of the Network, including our annual campaign #Invest2PreventFGM. Talking about the network’s approach to end female genital mutilation, she stressed the importance of adopting the lens of intersectionality and of using and promoting appropriate, “non-discriminating, non-stigmatising language and narratives”. This is key to the sustainable elimination of the root causes of gender-based violence such as female genital mutilation, and the preventive aspect becomes even more important in times where we see an increasing trend of instrumentalisation and manipulation of this issue to fuel other (anti-rights) agendas.

Xheni also echoed the importance of focusing on the effective transposition and implementation of the Directive on violence against women and domestic violence and the Istanbul Convention in all Member States. “It is essential to ensure that the implementation is carried out in consultation with expert CSOs including FGM-affected activists, and to support them”.

End FGM EU congratulates the consortium on the accomplishment of the project and remains committed to working together with allies beyond our membership and key policy-makers to ensure we keep advancing towards gender equality and the end of FGM and GBV.