Press release:

Over 20,000 girls under 15 at high risk of FGM in England and Wales A study published by FORWARD, the UK charity which leads the campaign to eliminate female genital mutilation (FGM), reveals that over 20,000 girls under 15 could be at risk of FGM in the UK.

Funded by the Department of Health and in collaboration with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Department of Midwifery, City University, the study reveals that nearly 66,000 women with FGM are living in England and Wales (2001) and that there are nearly 16,000 girls under the age of 15 at high risk of WHO Type III FGM and over 5,000 at high risk of WHO Type I or Type II.

Efua Dorkenoo, OBE, the Principal Investigator of the study, said "The United Nations has recognised female genital mutilation (FGM) as a human rights violation and the practice is prohibited in the UK under the FGM Act (2003), Children Act and other legislations. Yet lack of reliable data on FGM prevalence has until now marginalised the issue. This study represents a major first step to fill the gap in available data on FGM. The estimates of FGM provided in this study highlight the need not only to enhance health care for girls and adult women who have already undergone FGM but calls for systematic actions to prevent FGM being passed on to the younger generation." The findings of the study highlight the urgent need for greater partnership work between the statutory agencies and the third sector to eliminate FGM in the UK.

Maureen Salmon, FORWARD's Interim Director said "Through partnership working, FORWARD aims to roll out its work with young people and practising communities on a national scale, so that more people from practising communities will be engaged in the campaign to end FGM." The Department of Health's response to the study states that "The Department is pleased to have supported and funded this important study that continues to profile FGM issues, a key objective of which is bringing an understanding to practising communities that such mutilation is unacceptable".

October 9th 2007 sees the launch of this study at the House of Lords.

FORWARD is a UK registered charity led primarily by African women that campaigns against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), Child and Forced Marriage (C&FM) and related sexual rights violations in the UK and Africa. Over the last 25 years, FORWARD has demonstrated a track record of achievements locally and globally through: strong leadership and advocacy, partnerships, programme delivery and developing a solid infrastructure of support.

www.forwarduk.org.uk The World Health (WHO) classifies FGM into four types:
Type I involves the excision of the prepuce with or without excision of part or all of the clitoris. Type II excision of the prepuce and clitoris together with partial or total excision of the labia minora. Type III excision of part or all of the external genitalia and stitching or narrowing of the vaginal opening, also known as infibulation. This is the most extreme form and constitutes 15 per cent of all cases. It involves the use of thorns, silk or catgut to stitch the two sides of the vulva. A bridge of scar tissue then forms over the vagina, which leaves only a small opening (from the size of a matchstick head) for the passage of urine and menstrual blood. The results reported here included only the above three types of mutilation but WHO recognises a fourth category:

Type IV includes pricking, piercing or incision of the clitoris and/or the labia; stretching of the clitoris and or the labia; cauterisation or burning of the clitoris and surrounding tissues, scraping of the vaginal orifice or cutting ( Gishiri cuts) of the vagina and introduction of corrosive substances or herbs into the vagina.

The Department of Health has provided funding for this research