The National Committee for Eradication of Female Gentile Mutilation (NCEFGM) announced it has aborted an attempt to circumcise seven girls aged 10 to 12 in Assiut, some 350km south of Cairo, Egypt, and another 9-year-old girl in Sohag, some 420km south of Cairo.
This was in cooperation with government authorities.
According to Sahar al-Sonbaty, the committee received a report stating that the families of the girls, who are cousins residing in the Abnub Centre in Assiut Governorate, intended to circumcise the girls. Another report was received from Sohag Governorate that the family of a 9-year-old girl also intended to circumcise her.
Ms Sonbaty said they immediately got in touch with the public prosecutor in Assiut, and filed a complaint. The prosecution started immediate investigations and summoned the girls’ families.
Numerous cases of intended or attempted FGM are frequently reported on the Child Helpline 16000, a hotline set up by the NCCM in 2005.
The NCCM’s Secretary-General thanked Assiut’s General Committee for Child Protection and the Prosecution-General of Assiut for their prompt action to protect the girls.
Raising awareness
The NCEFGM was founded to spearhead awareness and advertising campaigns to enlighten Egyptians on the hazards and harms of FGM and how it has nothing to do with promoting chastity.
Ever since its foundation it has been working closely with the State which itself is committed towards eliminating FGM in Egypt. — Watani International
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