UNICEF: Fighting female genital mutilation in Burkina Faso

NEW YORK, USA, 19 November 2008 UNICEF is hosting a two-day conference on making legal systems work to achieve children's and women's rights. The event brings together representatives of governments, non-governmental organizations and UN agencies, as well as academics, parliamentarians and experts on human rights legislation.

UNICEF has played a leading role in encouraging legal reform to realize children's rights, Executive Director Ann M. Veneman noted in her opening remarks at the conference, which wraps up today in New York City. She added that the meeting represented a step toward bringing together key actors engaged in legislative reform initiatives and launching discussions on how to formalize these initiatives into a coordinated effort to advance human rights.

In this video, Former Speaker of Parliament in Burkina Faso Mélégué Traoré talks about how his country addressed the human rights issue of female genital mutilation.

To read the full story, visit: http://www.unicef.org/protection/index_46456.html

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• UNICEF
• human
• rights
• child
• children
• female
• genital
• mutilation
• Burkina
• Faso
• Mélégué
• Traoré

[acpren]

Oh God, this is such a crime. The word mutilation is exactly what it is. Please keep on educating them against this horrible custom!

[lochinvar00465]

So why aren't they involved in stopping Male Genital Mutilation? Half of all children are boys and they deserve protection too. This is a blatant denial of the rights of boys to their whole intact body. People should be so outraged at this sexist stance that is taken by UNICEF, Amnesty Int, and many other organisations as well as legislatures of most countries. Males have Human Rights too and they should not be denied this basic right.

[hinatahyuuga10000]

@lochinvar00465 Both deserve the same amount of attention. But im more concerned about female cuz if the clitoris is cut off there is no pleasure what so ever. its the equivalent of cutting off the entire male penis. Female is more unfair than male

[gjylymsere]

FGM is to keep women virgin untill marriage, and also to make them not "cheat" on their husbands, bcus FGM leaves the women with pain, so she cant even enjoy se*. Sick menn, sick culture (originated from africa I think)

[chutchybo]

MUTILATION... do the ppl who still do this not no the meaning ov the word...

[CerealSpaz]

support

[imanisankofa]

What is the purpose of FGM? Why do they do it? Aren't there health risks involved with FGM?