Statement: Senator Bacik speaks at two events to mark International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation

STATEMENT BY SENATOR IVANA BACIK

Labour Seanad Group Leader and Justice Spokesperson
Monday 6th February, 2012

SENATOR BACIK SPEAKS AT TWO EVENTS TO MARK INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ZERO TOLERANCE TO FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION

Senator Ivana Bacik will today be speaking at two events to mark International Day of Zero Tolerance to FGM. Speaking at a conference organised by AkiDwA and Youth united Ireland at EU Parliament house this afternoon, Senator Bacik will welcome the legislation to prohibit FGM, the Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill 2011, which passed through the Seanad in June 2011 and will be at Committee stage in the Dail this week.

Commending AkiDwA for their great work in highlighting the issue of FGM in Ireland, Senator Bacik will say:

“Female genital mutilation is a gross violation of the rights of women and children. It is estimated that over 3,000 women and girls living in Ireland have undergone FGM, so this is a pressing issue. I am delighted that the FGM bill will soon complete its passage through the Oireachtas, and will ensure that anyone resident in Ireland who takes a girl abroad to have FGM performed there will now be subject to prosecution in Ireland.”

This evening, Senator Bacik will launch a radio documentary on FGM produced by Helen Concannon and Mairead Cullen, based on work done by the Friends of Londiani, a charity working with a community in Kenya. Launching the documentary, which will be broadcast on RTE Radio 1 this Saturday 11th February, Senator Bacik will say:

“I commend the work done by Friends of Londiani in a small Kenyan community to replace the barbaric practice of FGM with alternative rites of passage for girls. It is important to promote zero tolerance of FGM in every community – for far too long this gross violation of the rights of women and girls has been allowed to continue.”

ENDS