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London Mayor praises Westminster Council initiative to tackle FGM as “ground-breaking” (21 March 2016)

Date: 21/03/2016
Duncan Lewis, Child Care Solicitors, London Mayor praises Westminster Council initiative to tackle FGM as “ground-breaking”

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson has hailed an innovative approach to tackling Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) – based on a model devised by Westminster City Council in 2014 – as a “ground-breaking initiative”.

The project teams up specialist social workers, midwives and community health advocates to offer support for women who have undergone FGM, as well as protecting their daughters from being cut in the future.

It has since been rolled out to Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.

The work carried out in the five boroughs is part of the Mayor of London’s wider two-year Harmful Practices scheme – and is coordinated by
MOPAC and funded by the Department for Education.

The holistic approach further includes influential community advocates engaging with more than 2,300 people across London – and special awareness sessions with boys and fathers to ensure all family members are united against the crime.

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People at Westminster City Council, Councillor Danny Chalkley, said:

“There is no reason why young girls should undergo FGM – a crime that is both traumatic and causes irreversible physical damage.

“The council’s priority is to protect children and young people, including from FGM.

“Thanks to support from MOPAC, we have been able to work with young people across the city – including young men – to raise awareness of the health and legal consequences of FGM.

“At the same time, we are running a number of other projects with colleagues from other central London boroughs – including a pilot at maternity clinics in St Mary’s and Queen Charlotte’s hospitals, where specialist FGM midwives work with pregnant women affected by FGM to prevent their daughters from being subjected to the same [practice].”

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Stephen Greenhalgh has joined an FGM awareness session teenage at Marylebone Boys’ School in Westminster and said:

“The Mayor has committed to tackling and ending all forms of violence against women and girls in the capital – and as we continue to be a global leader in this fight – the Mayor wants to see a safer London for women and children.

“These two innovative pilots have shown how important and effective collaborative work across the whole community is in raising awareness and ending Female Genital Mutilation and other abhorrent practices that not only have an impact on girls and women’s lives, but families, communities and society.”

Executive Director for Children Services in Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham, Andrew Christie, added:

“FGM is such a sudden, painful and traumatic form of harm that prevention is the only way to effectively protect girls.

“This project was designed with council officers and representatives from local community organisations to create an approach that is both sensitive and effective in supporting mothers and keeping the next generation safe.”

Duncan Lewis Children Lawyers

Duncan Lewis children lawyers can advise on a wide range of family and child care law, including child abuse, FGM, honour crimes and forced marriage.

There are Duncan Lewis offices nationwide and our family law department is also able to advise on domestic violence against spouses, children, the elderly, same sex partners and flatmates, including tackling psychological and financial abuse and controlling behaviour.

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of Legal Aid solicitors and advises on family law under UK law, Islamic law and in cross-border family cases.

For expert legal advice on child care law and child abuse, call Duncan Lewis children lawyers on 0333 772 0409.


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