Action Plan for Combating Female Genital Mutilation

Female genital mutilation is prohibited and punishable by law in Norway. The practice conflicts with fundamental human rights and with the United Nations conventions on the rights of women and of children. Article 24 of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child establishes that children have a right to the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for the treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a grave violation of these rights and it has serious health-related and social consequences for the girls affected. These violations must be combated through long-term, goaloriented efforts that focus on prevention and opinionchanging. Everyone must make an all-out effort and cooperation between affected groups and expert communities must be strengthened. Prevention of female genital mutilation is the long-term target. In the meantime, girls and women who have been subjected to genital mutilation must be given relevant and efficacious treatment. This is underlined in this Action Plan.