24 Sep 2012

UN / FGM

The First Lady of Burkina Faso, Chantal Compaoré, told a press conference in New York today (24 September) that the idea behind a push for a General Assembly resolution banning female genital mutilation (FGM) "is to have a world instrument available as an expression of the highest political will to put an end to this violation of human rights." UNTV

Posted at: September 24, 2012 8:34 pm

Duration: 01:49

Available in: SD

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STORY: UN / FGM  
TRT: 1.49
SOURCE: UNTV 
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 24 SEPTEMBER 2012, NEW YORK CITY / FILE

SHOTLIST:

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1.	Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

24 SEPTEMBER 2012, NEW YORK CITY

2.	Wide shot, dais
3.	Med shot, journalist
4.	SOUNDBITE (French) Chantal Compaoré, First Lady of Burkina Faso:
"The main purpose is to draw the attention of political representatives and representatives of international and regional organizations as well as national actors involved with dealing with the problem of FGM. The idea is to have a world instrument available as an expression of the highest political will to put an end to this violation of human rights."
5.	Med shot, journalist
6.	SOUNDBITE (French) Chantal de Souza Yayi, First Lady of the Republic of Benin:
"Laws are useful, they are helpful. It is an advantage to have laws. But once you have a law, you have to have it enforced. I think countries can take advantage of the work of grass root community organizations, because in a flourishing society NGOs become increasingly focused on issues affecting women."
7.	Med shot, journalist
8.	SOUNDBITE (French) Emma Bonino, Member of the Italian Senate:
"Of course the resolution is not binding. The UN is not going to show up at somebody's doorstep to arrest a girl's mother. But it does focus the attention of the entire world on this issue and encourage the countries that do not yet have laws."
9.	Med shot, journalist
10.	Wide shot, dais

STORYLINE:

The Benin and Burkina Faso delegations hosted a high-level event on the sidelines of the 67th session of the General assembly in support of the fight against FGM and the international campaign to promote the adoption of a GA Resolution that universally and explicitly bans the practice.

FGM refers to a number of practices which involve cutting away part or all of a girl's external genitalia. The practice – recognized globally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women – has no health benefits, causes severe pain and has several immediate and long-term health consequences, according to UN agencies.

Speaking to the same press conference Chantal de Souza Yayi, First Lady of the Republic of Benin, noted that "once you have a law, you have to have it enforced" and said "countries can take advantage of the work of grass root community organizations"  in order to bring communities to comply with FGM bans.

A UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme for the Acceleration of the Abandonment of FGM/C, which was set up in 2008 and tries to spur change through a culturally sensitive, human rights-based approach that promotes collective abandonment of the practice.

The initiative is being carried out in 15 African countries: Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda.

Emma Bonino, a member of the Italian Senate told reporters that the resolution will not be binding and"the UN is not going to show up at somebody's doorstep to arrest a girl's mother."

The goal, she said, is to "focus the attention of the entire world on this issue" and to encourage countries that do not yet have laws to enact them.

Each year, around three million girls and women – or some 8,000 girls each day – face the risk of mutilation or cutting. An estimated 130 million to 140 million girls and women have undergone the practice, mostly in Africa and some countries in Asia and the Middle East.