50 muslim nations unite to stop fgm
Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 11:32 am
this is a great news! as you know, fgm is huge in countries like
somalia, sudan, egypt, etc.
afdhere
**********
http://www.afrol.com/articles/17176
Islam united to stop female genital mutilation
afrol News, 9 November - Ministers, politicians and
religious leaders from almost 50 Muslim states were
gathered for two days in the Moroccan capital at the
first Islamic childhood conference. The resulting
"Rabat Declaration" puts special emphasis on female
genital mutilation and other harmful practices
discriminating girls, underlining it is against Islam.
Female genital mutilation (FGM), which is also called
female circumcision, is most widespread in sub-Saharan
Muslim cultures, but Muslim scholars for decades have
emphasised that there is no Islamic basis for the very
harmful practice, which causes many deaths among young
girls each year.
The growing number of anti-FGM activists today found
solid support among the most important decision-makers
in the united Islamic world, united in Rabat. The
first Islamic Conference of Ministers in Charge of
Childhood - organised by the Organisation of Islamic
Conference (OIC) and the Islamic Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) - today
issued a strong-worded declaration condemning FGM.
The Rabat Declaration called upon all Muslim states to
"take the necessary measures to eliminate all forms of
discrimination against girls and all harmful
traditional or customary practices, such as child
marriage and female genital mutilation." The
protection of children "from all forms of
exploitation, abuse, torture and violence" was high on
the Ministers' agenda.
The Declaration urged all Muslim countries where FGM
is practiced to act strongly against the non-Islamic
tradition. Governments were asked to "enact and
implement proper legislations and formulate, where
appropriate, national plans, programmes and strategies
protecting girls," the Declaration said in reference
to the FGM practice.
The other issue specially mentioned by the Ministers'
declaration was the case of "honour" killings of
girls, a practice that is more common in Asia than in
Africa. The conference urged Muslim states to take
"appropriate legislative and administrative measures
and devise suitable programmes" to fight crimes
against women and girls committed in the name of
honour.
Further issues high on the agenda in Rabat were the
fight against poverty, preventable diseases and armed
conflicts - issues that to a great degree victimise
children in too many Muslim countries. "Necessary
resources" needed to be allocated to the health system
in the OIC countries, to enlarge access to social
services, to secure good nutrition and to provide
medical care to children, the Declaration said.
Delegates had been reminded that an estimated 4.3
million children under five die each year from
preventable disease and malnutrition in Islamic
countries, while about 6 million children under five
suffer from malnutrition in the form of stunted
growth, about 23 percent of the total population have
no access to safe drinking water, and 45 percent lack
adequate sanitation.
The progressive Declaration has already been welcomed
by observers to the conference. The UN Children's Fund
(UNICEF) found the OIC's call for an end to female
genital mutilation an important step to fight the
harmful practice.
The Rabat Declaration "addresses head-on all of the
major challenges confronting children in OIC countries
and does so in a way that calls for action to be
supported by ever greater Islamic solidarity," UNICEF
Deputy Director Rima Salah told the closing session
yesterday. The conference had been characterised by
"frank and open discussions," UNICEF held.
The declaration will be submitted to the next meeting
of OIC Foreign Ministers and the next Islamic Summit,
for adoption and support. With the support of the
countries' ministers in charge of childhood, observers
expect the Summit to pass the resolution by a large
majority.
By staff writer
somalia, sudan, egypt, etc.
afdhere
**********
http://www.afrol.com/articles/17176
Islam united to stop female genital mutilation
afrol News, 9 November - Ministers, politicians and
religious leaders from almost 50 Muslim states were
gathered for two days in the Moroccan capital at the
first Islamic childhood conference. The resulting
"Rabat Declaration" puts special emphasis on female
genital mutilation and other harmful practices
discriminating girls, underlining it is against Islam.
Female genital mutilation (FGM), which is also called
female circumcision, is most widespread in sub-Saharan
Muslim cultures, but Muslim scholars for decades have
emphasised that there is no Islamic basis for the very
harmful practice, which causes many deaths among young
girls each year.
The growing number of anti-FGM activists today found
solid support among the most important decision-makers
in the united Islamic world, united in Rabat. The
first Islamic Conference of Ministers in Charge of
Childhood - organised by the Organisation of Islamic
Conference (OIC) and the Islamic Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) - today
issued a strong-worded declaration condemning FGM.
The Rabat Declaration called upon all Muslim states to
"take the necessary measures to eliminate all forms of
discrimination against girls and all harmful
traditional or customary practices, such as child
marriage and female genital mutilation." The
protection of children "from all forms of
exploitation, abuse, torture and violence" was high on
the Ministers' agenda.
The Declaration urged all Muslim countries where FGM
is practiced to act strongly against the non-Islamic
tradition. Governments were asked to "enact and
implement proper legislations and formulate, where
appropriate, national plans, programmes and strategies
protecting girls," the Declaration said in reference
to the FGM practice.
The other issue specially mentioned by the Ministers'
declaration was the case of "honour" killings of
girls, a practice that is more common in Asia than in
Africa. The conference urged Muslim states to take
"appropriate legislative and administrative measures
and devise suitable programmes" to fight crimes
against women and girls committed in the name of
honour.
Further issues high on the agenda in Rabat were the
fight against poverty, preventable diseases and armed
conflicts - issues that to a great degree victimise
children in too many Muslim countries. "Necessary
resources" needed to be allocated to the health system
in the OIC countries, to enlarge access to social
services, to secure good nutrition and to provide
medical care to children, the Declaration said.
Delegates had been reminded that an estimated 4.3
million children under five die each year from
preventable disease and malnutrition in Islamic
countries, while about 6 million children under five
suffer from malnutrition in the form of stunted
growth, about 23 percent of the total population have
no access to safe drinking water, and 45 percent lack
adequate sanitation.
The progressive Declaration has already been welcomed
by observers to the conference. The UN Children's Fund
(UNICEF) found the OIC's call for an end to female
genital mutilation an important step to fight the
harmful practice.
The Rabat Declaration "addresses head-on all of the
major challenges confronting children in OIC countries
and does so in a way that calls for action to be
supported by ever greater Islamic solidarity," UNICEF
Deputy Director Rima Salah told the closing session
yesterday. The conference had been characterised by
"frank and open discussions," UNICEF held.
The declaration will be submitted to the next meeting
of OIC Foreign Ministers and the next Islamic Summit,
for adoption and support. With the support of the
countries' ministers in charge of childhood, observers
expect the Summit to pass the resolution by a large
majority.
By staff writer
