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PDF printable version of National Compact on Female Genital Mutilation (PDF 282 KB)

9 April 2013

Preamble

Commitment to coordinated action was affirmed at today’s National Summit on FGM, hosted by the Australian Government, which brought together representatives of State and Territory governments as well as non-government organisations, community groups and professional bodies.

Discussion focused on actions that can be taken to ensure that FGM is not practiced in Australia, to support women and girls arriving and settling in Australia, and to bring about elimination of the practice globally. All participants agreed to build on efforts to best support women and girls in Australia affected by FGM, and prevent it from occurring to a new generation.

Australia recognises the practice of FGM as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines FGM as “procedures that involve the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons”. FGM can have significant health implications, including death and long term and life threatening complications.

There is a need for stronger action on the practice of FGM in Australia, due to the identification of cases in recent years; higher migration from communities which commonly practice FGM; and to meet Australia’s international commitments, including to the United Nations General Assembly resolution in December 2012 to intensify global efforts to end FGM.

Much work is being done to eliminate the practice domestically, among new arrivals and settlers in Australia, and globally. These efforts need to be consolidated, coordinated and accelerated. This National Compact will support these efforts by stimulating collaboration across the range of governments, sectors, communities and organisations working with affected women and communities.

National Compact on Female Genital Mutilation

All participants in this National Summit on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) agree to work together willingly and cooperatively to ensure that FGM is abandoned as a practice by all Australian residents and that women and girls affected by or at risk of FGM have access to services and support.
Together we represent governments, community organisations, professional bodies and the research community. We commit to action in our specific areas of influence as well as joint action as outlined in this Compact.

We recognise past efforts, and work currently underway, to protect and advocate on behalf of girls and women affected by or at risk of FGM.

We agree that FGM constitutes bodily harm to girls and women and is legally and ethically unacceptable in our society, where women have equal rights to men.

We agree to support affected women and girls, those at risk of FGM and their communities to empower them to speak out and act to end the practice of FGM.

We agree to take action to end the practice of FGM for women and girls:

• living in Australia;
• settling in Australia; and
• throughout the world who are or may in future be affected by FGM.

Our actions are motivated by respect for women affected by the practice of FGM and to protect them from any stigma.

We agree to support better education about the practice of FGM and its serious health consequences, especially in Australian migrant communities and where it is considered culturally acceptable.

This will be aimed at informing men, women and children that the practice of FGM is dangerous, illegal and will not be tolerated in Australia, and is being abandoned by many communities overseas.

The Australian Government will provide $500,000 in targeted Commonwealth grants to support action to end FGM, including for community organisations to deliver FGM education campaigns.

We agree that community leaders, particularly women in communites provide the strongest leadership to end the practice of FGM.

We acknowledge that women and girls living with the effects of FGM need informed and culturally sensitive care and support, which may include specialist physical and mental health care and social support.

Health and medical professional bodies will continue to develop specialist education and training for health professional to support effective and non-discriminatory services for women with complex FGM health needs. This will build on existing clinical resources and guidelines and will be supported through the targeted Commonwealth grants.

We will not excuse or ignore the practice of FGM.

FGM is illegal in all States and Territories. In addition, all States and Territories have either criminalised performing FGM overseas if the victim is resident in the State/Territory or the taking girls or women overseas for FGM.
The Summit notes the importance of a legal framework that comprehensively criminalises FGM and supports police and prosecutors to detect, investigate and prosecute FGM whenever and wherever it occurs.

At its meeting on 5 April 2013 the Standing Council on Law and Justice, considered a report by the Federal Attorney General on Australia’s female genital mutilation legal framework. It agreed to a number of recommendations aimed at ensuring Australian women and girls are protected to the greatest extent possible from this practice.

All jurisdictions have agreed to increase their focus on law enforcement efforts against FGM and will consider working to bring greater consistency to penalties, scope and extra territorial application of FGM legislation, and to share information to support law enforcement.

Australian governments will work towards common approaches to reporting of new cases of FGM and improving the evidence on the practice within Australia.

We also commit to ensuring that new migrants and refugees to Australia, especially from countries where FGM is practised, are clearly informed that the practice of FGM is illegal and will not be tolerated in Australia.

Newly arrived migrant and refugee women and girls will be offered assistance if they have experienced FGM overseas.

The Australian Government has updated its Smartraveller website to provide information to Australian travellers on FGM and to alert them to the extraterritorial application of Australian FGM laws, including in relation to removing Australians for the purpose of FGM.

The Australian Government will ensure consular officers report any information relating to a possible case of FGM affecting Australians overseas which might be obtained as a result of their consular role, and will provide appropriate consular support.

Summit participants will work together, and inform and support the work of the Standing Council on Health, to improve knowledge of FGM in Australia, including through improved research and data collection to inform future action.

The Australian Government will support efforts in the United Nations and other international and regional fora in an effort to end the practice of FGM globally.

The Summit notes the Australian Government’s co-sponsorship of the United Nations General Assembly resolution on the elimination of FGM in December 2012, and support for the call to end all forms of violence against women and girls by the UN Commission on the Status of Women March 2013 session.