Advice for parents
If your family in your home country support the practice of FGM, or if there is pressure from the wider community to arrange FGM then you should think very carefully about taking your daughter to visit. You should speak to your family before travelling to explain that you do not want to arrange FGM for your daughter and that FGM is against the law in the UK, so you could be prosecuted if anything happens to your daughter. Remember that FGM is also illegal in many other countries including Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.
If you are still concerned in any way after speaking to your family then it may be better not to take your daughter abroad. If you are unsure then workers in services such as health and social work can advise you and support you in keeping your daughter safe. If you are travelling abroad with your daughter take a copy of the Scottish Government leaflet: FGM – A statement opposing Female Genital Mutilation (download below) This might be of help if your family or community put pressure on you to arrange FGM for your daughter. Show the leaflet to your family and keep it with you at all times. |
If you are abroad and require help or advice call the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on +44 (0)20 7008 1500 or contact the British High Commission or Embassy in the country you are visiting.
You could also contact local organisations working on FGM in the country you are visiting and they may be able to help protect your child from FGM (download below).
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