Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a practice that violates human rights and is common in various countries around the world. It affects millions of girls and women, with extremely serious consequences for their physical and mental health. The phenomenon also concerns Italy, where thousands of women who have already undergone FGM live, as well as girls at risk of being subjected to it. In 2006, Italy enacted Law no. 7 of 2006, “Provisions Concerning the Prevention and Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Practices”, which combines criminal prohibition with measures for prevention, training, protection, and international cooperation. The Mutilazioni genitali femminili: dalla norma alla pratica (Female Genital Mutilation: From Law to Practice) policy brief by ActionAid analyses the state of implementation of this Law twenty years after its approval. In addition to identifying critical issues, it outlines several measures to strengthen the system in order to ensure effective and coordinated protection for girls and women at risk of, or living with, FGM.

The document was presented on 6 February at the Casa delle Donne (Women’s House) of Milan, on the occasion of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. It also contains a series of recommendations addressed to the relevant institutions, aimed at making the response to FGM coordinated, structural, and genuinely accessible throughout the country.

The document is available on ActionAid’s website.

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