Girls At Risk Of Female Genital Mutilation Are Being Failed!

YOUNG girls at risk of barbaric female genital mutilation (FGM) are being failed by the health and social care system, according to experts.

TORTURE: There are "gaps in responsiveness" in the health and social care system to addressing FGM [MARCO LONGARI]

According to the Daily Star, girls and babies deemed to be at risk are not receiving "adequate protection" against the procedure - which is classed as torture by the United Nations.

There are "gaps in responsiveness" in the health and social care system to addressing FGM, the new report states.

Officials do not know who to turn to if they suspect it has been done, and if a girl suspected to be at risk is referred to social services the issue may be dropped because some care workers do not feel as though FGM lies within their remit, the report said.

Figures suggest that as many as 66,000 women in England and Wales have undergone FGM and 23,000 girls under the age of 15 from African communities are "at risk".

The report was written by experts from the Royal College of Midwives (RCM), the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Equality Now and Unite.

It states: "There is a growing consensus that the system is failing to protect girls from FGM and more needs to be done in the UK to intervene early in a child's life, and to safeguard those girls at risk.

FGM: It is thought that 66,000 women in the Uk have suffered genital mutilation [TONY KARUMBA]

"Girls at risk of FGM are not receiving adequate protection from harm."

Medical staff should question all new young female patients to determine whether they, their children or other family members have fallen victim to the practice or are in danger of being subjected to FGM, they recommended.

They also called for schools and social services to improve the way that they gather and pass on information about girls at risk of mutilation. Teachers should also make time for one-to-one conversations with girls from practising communities.

Health workers giving travel vaccinations to children from such communities for travel to countries where FGM is prevalent must be aware about the possible risk, the report says.

RCM chief executive Cathy Warwick said: "We cannot expect communities or girls and young women to tackle this issue by themselves.

RISK: Experts from health authorities believe girls who are at risk of the torture are being faled [GRAEME ROBERTSON]

FGM robs girls of their childhood and it is an abuse of their human rights. "This is why we must work collaboratively to ensure that these recommendations, aligned to current policy frameworks, are implemented and monitored.

"FGM is a violation of children and women's human rights, and there is a real need to raise awareness about the damage that FGM can do to young girls and women within the communities that practise it."

RCN director of nursing Janet Davies added: "All health and social care professionals have a responsibility to do all they can to identify and prevent this abuse.

"This important guidance makes it clear that nurses, midwives and doctors must work with the police, teachers and social services when they have concerns.

"This is a growing problem in the UK, and it requires different agencies working together to try to eradicate FGM.
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