A draft UN resolution against female genital mutilation has been submitted by the group of African countries. The announcement was made by Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi during a conference at the Senate on this subject, organised by the Italian Association for Women in Development (AIDOS) and Amnesty International. “The draft resolution was tabled yesterday evening”, said Terzi. Senator Daniela Colombo, of Aidos, who was present at the conference, said that the Assembly would possibly approve the resolution before the end of the year.
Italy’s firm commitment
Behind this draft resolution lie years of work at the United Nations, by many countries. “At the UN, Italy coordinates the European countries in the working groups dealing with this problem”, explained Terzi, who told of the conference of Italy’s firm commitment to this campaign. “Since 2004 we have organised an infinite number of meetings on this issue. Female genital mutilation is always high on the agenda in our bilateral meetings with African nations”,
The Minister reminded the conference that the problem “is not far removed from Italy. Indeed, it is present here, through female immigrants from African countries”. Italy has a law governing FGM, Law 7/2006, considered to be one of the world’s most advanced. In Terzi’s view, “many African countries are engaged at the individual level in fighting this scourge. But to have moved from action at the national level to a global commitment, through the UN resolution, has been a considerable and significant step”.
