Government to support groups fighting female genital mutilation with €80,000

The Portuguese government will support with €80,000 civil society organisations that work with communities affected by female genital mutilation (FGM), the office of the minister of state and parliamentary affairs announced today. The announcement takes place on International Day for Zero Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation and will materialise in the launch of a new tender for technical and financial support, whose value represents an increase of 33% compared to the previous tender. Last year, health authorities registered 190 cases of female genital mutilation – an increase of 24% compared to the same period in the previous year. In more than half there were complications, according to the national health authority. Almost all, if not all, cases were flagged in adult women who were subjected to these practices in their countries of origin (namely Guinea-Bissau, Guinea Conakry, Senegal, Cabo Verde, Gambia and Nigeria).