Combating FGM

The Unite union has called for more health professionals trained to tackle the growing problem of female genital mutilation (FGM).

The failure of successive governments to protect vulnerable girls from FGM was described as an “ongoing national scandal” by a House of Commons home affairs select committee report in July.

The report called for a comprehensive national action plan to tackle the problem. It is estimated that around 170,000 women and girls are living with FGM in the UK, and that 65,000 girls aged 13 and under are at risk of undergoing genital mutilation.

While praising the report, Unite said that there were not enough health visitors and school nurses with the right training to identify that young girls were at risk of being subjected to the threat of FGM.

The government last month announced new measures and funding to tackle the issue.

www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/home-affairs-committee/news/140703-fgm-rpt-pubn/

www.unitetheunion.org/news/more-health-professionals-needed--to-tackle-fgm-national-scandal-says-unite/