12. Human rights

12(d) B4-0655, 0672, 0673 and 0689/97

Resolution on female genital mutilation in Egypt

The European Parliament,

A. having regard to the recent judgment by the Cairo Administrative Court annulling the July 1996 order of the Egyptian Health Ministry outlawing the practice of excision in public hospitals, and to the decision of the Egyptian Council of State declaring this practice to be legitimate,

B. whereas thousands of women throughout the world continue to be subjected to genital mutilation and, as a result of this torture, their sexuality is permanently damaged,

C. whereas sexual mutilation also occurs in EU Member States,

D. whereas this practice is contrary to human dignity, to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to the positions expressed by the UN Conference on population in Cairo and the UN Conference on women in Beijing,

1. Condemns unequivocally the practice of female genital mutilation in all forms;

2. Considers it unacceptable for religion, customs and traditions to be used as excuses for violent acts against women, and even more unacceptable for such practices to be used upon under-age females who do not have the right of choice;

3. Deplores the judgment of the Cairo Administrative Court and the decision of the Egyptian Council of State on the subject of female genital mutilation; firmly supports the decision of the Egyptian Government and its Health Ministry to appeal against these rulings; calls on them to do all in their power to obtain the total abolition of this practice which runs counter to human dignity;

4. Calls on the EU governments to take legal action against and punish persons practising clandestine mutilation in the Member States and to strengthen the legal provisions against mutilation;

5. Urges UNICEF to relaunch its campaign against female genital mutilation, and proposes to the Commission that it take an active part in conducting the campaign;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Egyptian Government and Parliament and UNICEF.

This document is published online byEquipo Nizkor andDerechos Human Rights