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UK Wedding News

22/07/2014

'Girl Summit' To Address Forced Marriage

The UK Government is set to announce new action and funding to protect millions of girls from forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM).

The Girl Summit, hosted by the government and UNICEF, is aimed at mobilising domestic and international efforts to end FGM and child and forced marriage (CFM) within a generation. It will bring together domestic and international work to help advance the work of campaigners, governments and charities around the world to end the practices.

Those involved in the summit argue that millions of girls and women are being prevented from achieving their potential, or living a life free from violence, because of harmful practices such as FGM and CEFM, which are illegal in the UK.

A new report from City University London, published today in collaboration with Equality Now, believe that around 60,000 girls aged between 0 to 14 were born in England and Wales to mothers who had undergone FGM. An additional 103,000 women aged 15 to 49 and approximately 24,000 women aged 50 and over, who have migrated to England and Wales, are living with the consequences of FGM. In addition, approximately 10,000 girls aged under 15 who have migrated to England and Wales, are likely to have undergone FGM, the report claimed.

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Prime Minister David Cameron said: "All girls have the right to live free from violence and coercion, without being forced into marriage or the lifelong physical and psychological effects of female genital mutilation. Abhorrent practices like these, no matter how deeply rooted in societies, violate the rights of girls and women across the world, including here in the UK.

"I want to build a better future for all our girls and I am hosting the Girl Summit today so that we say with one voice – let's end these practices once and for all."

Home Secretary Theresa May added: "FGM and forced marriage are incredibly harmful practices, and it is terrible to think about the number of women and girls in the UK who have been subjected to these crimes.

"Today's summit aims to inspire and secure a better future for thousands of women and girls who are at risk of being seriously harmed by those closest to them – either by having their sexual, physical and mental health damaged by FGM or having their education, freedom and ambition curtailed when they are coerced into an unwanted marriage.

"I am proud of the action we are taking in the UK to stamp out these harmful practices and delighted to be joined by community leaders, frontline professionals and charity partners from across the world in taking further action to end FGM and forced marriage."

(JP/IT)

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"The UK Government is set to announce new action and funding to protect millions of girls from forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM)."