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Uganda parliament outlaws female genital mutilation

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] The Ugandan Parliament voted unanimously Thursday to outlaw female genital mutilation (FGM). Under the new legislation, anyone who conducts the procedure faces a 10-year prison sentence, and anyone convicted of aggravated FGM faces life imprisonment. Aggravated FGM would include situations where the woman dies, is disabled, or is infected with HIV/AIDS. Human rights groups have welcomed the legislation but have also urged education campaigns to ensure that the practice is stopped. The bill must now be signed by Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. FGM is not widely practiced in Uganda but does occasionally occur in the northeastern part of the country. According to the UN, approximately 2 million girls undergo FGM every year, with Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Somalia, and the Sudan accounting for 75 percent of all cases. Consequences can include prolonged bleeding, infection, infertility, and death. In 2007, the UN passed a resolution calling for an end to the practice.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on December 11, 2009 (boomark / email).