Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 18/11/2014
Upon the invitation of the Danish government and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFA) regional Nordic bureau, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) participated in a high level meeting on ending female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), which was convened under the high patronage of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess of Denmark, on 11 of November 2014 at the Danish parliament. The OIC was represented by Mrs. Aissata Kane, Deputy Permanent Observer of the Geneva Delegation to the UN, who delivered a statement on behalf of the OIC Secretary General, H.E. Iyad Ameen Madani. The OIC was the only intergovernmental organization invited to this important and high level conference convened with the aim of coordinating joint actions for ending the harmful practice of FGM/C in all around the world. Statements were made by HRH Crown Princess of Denmark, the Danish Minister for Trade and Development Cooperation, the Norwegian Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swedish Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, UK Ambassador to Denmark and the OIC Deputy Permanent Observer. Around 250 representatives participated in the conference from various spheres including members of Danish parliament, civil society, media and community workers from main Nordic countries. The statements delivered during this first session of the conference focused on the necessity to further foster cooperation for a global push for the abandonment of FGM/C and strengthen international commitments and national strategies and policies for combating the continuous practice of FGM in 29 African countries and others in the Middle East and Asia, which are still practicing this human right abuse and threat to girls' and women's health and well-being. The successive speakers underlined the need to have stronger action towards mobilizing political, religious and community leaders as well as local populations and practicing communities for ending this harmful practice on women and girls, which has no justification in any religion, and instead represents a serious breach towards the full enjoyment of women's rights and constitutes an irremediable violation of the physical and moral integrity of many girls and women. Following the political segment of the conference, a second technical session was organized to provide the conference with the progress made by the joint UNFPA and UNICEF program, Tostan and Orchid projects, funded mainly by the Nordic countries in fighting the FMG/C in West Africa. Successful programs and communities projects for combating this violation of women's and girls' rights have been presented with the view to showing the realizations but also challenges met during the implementation of FGM/C ending programs.
