Legalizing FGM is a misuse of Legislative tools – the Ministry of Health has to protect Egyptians’ health and rights!

The Egyptian Center for Women’s Rights ECWR expresses its serious worries regarding the
news that has been circulated via the media or social networking websites about campaigns
promoting Female Genital Mutilation “FGM “in the Egyptian governorates. It should be noted
that the ECWR’s concerns have increased regarding this matter when a Member of Parliament
“MP” asked for conducting FGM on a condition that it is carried out under a medical
supervision
By the Panel Code’s amendment by Act No. 126 of 2008, which criminalizes female
circumcision in the Penal Code, the penalty is imprisonment for a minimum of 3 months and a
maximum of 2 years or paying a fine ranging between 1000 LE as a minimum and 5000 LE as a
maximum.
The law also includes the formation of committees at all levels; local to take over the protection
of children through the identification, support and follow-up on children at risk because of illtreatment
or neglect including the females who are at the risk of undergoing FGM.
On the Sharia level, in 2007 the grand Mufti of the republic of Egypt Dr. Ali Gomaa said
through a formal statement that “Female Circumcision” is prohibited and has nothing to do with
Islam. In addition to that, the health damages that the females suffer from for the rest of their
lives that shall reach to sterility.
This confirms that practicing circumcision is a barbaric and prohibited crime on the local and the
international level, as stated in the international convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
(Article 19-1-Article 37 A-Article 24-3), which Egypt has ratified in 1990.
Therefore, ECWR is asking the political parties and the MP, who raised this issue or were part of
the news on promoting FGM to clarify their position, as these practices and demands represent a
violation of the Egyptian law, treaties and international conventions signed by Egypt. Submitting
proposals to legalize crimes against women is considered a legislative corruption and a deviation
of the legislative power.
So ECWR is asking the MP to withdraw the draft law and the Parliament Speaker to reject any
such draft laws and to respect the constitution and international conventions, which Egypt is
bound to through having had ratified them.
In addition, ECWR is asking all local and international organizations, which are concerned with
protecting the child’s rights to join our call and ask the Parliament to respect the principles of
human rights, women rights and children’s rights.
Furthermore ECWR requests the Attorney General to initiate fast and serious investigation
regarding the Freedom and Justice Party’s pro-FGM campaigns and fully holds the Ministry of
Health accountable for the crimes that were committed during these campaigns.
Moreover ECWR is asking the Ministry of Heath to take up its responsibility of the Egyptian’s
health and not to leave this subjected to political abuse through so-called “medical campaigns”.
Best regards,
Nehad Abouel Komsan