Stroud Liberal Democrats

Protecting women and girls at risk of FGM

Liberal Democrats welcome a package of new measures designed to protect women and girls at risk of FGM.

Liberal Democrats are breaking the taboo on FGM. Our goal is to end FGM within a generation.

These measures announced on International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation to end the practice in the UK include:

• £1.6m for the next stage of the FGM prevention programme that will improve the NHS response.
• A new national system to allow clinicians to note on a child's health record that they are potentially at risk of FGM.
• New mandatory recording requirements for GPs and mental health trusts requiring them to record FGM incidence by October 2015. This follows a requirement already in place for NHS acute trusts.
• Improved training for frontline health workers on how to communicate sensitively with patients about FGM, through new e-learning sessions launched by Health Education England.
• £2m for a new national programme backed by Barnardo's and the Local Government Association that will create a highly specialised team of skilled social workers with extensive experience of working with those at risk of FGM.

Commenting Liberal Democrat Crime Prevention Minister Lynne Featherstone said:

"Female genital mutilation is a crime and it is child abuse.

"The Coalition Government has made great progress in tackling this harmful practice, and by working closely with campaigners and communities we are beginning to see a real step change.

"The new measures announced today are further evidence of our commitment towards ending FGM."

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