Labour MP Chris Fearne’s initiative to present a Private Members Bill to ban Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) to Parliament is laudible and shows a great appreciation of what is going on in our society as African people become part of our culture.

FGM is a centuries-old practice stemming from the belief that circumcising girls controls women's sexuality and enhances fertility. At present, the Maltese Criminal Law includes no policy documents on FGM and the only reference to it is found in the 2010 National Sexual Health Policy which refers to FGM as one of the realities arising around sexual health and which needs to be addressed.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines FGM as: “all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

Dr Fearne said the Bill proposes the introduction of a law banning FGM in Malta and also banning the practice of submitting Maltese girls to the practice abroad. This move would prevent harm being done to Maltese girls of African origins in other countries. Doctors, social workers and all other professionals who will come into contact with cases of FGM, forced marriage or forced sterilisation will be obliged to report such cases. Aiding and abetting FGM would also be considered a crime. A report published by UNHCR Malta in March shows the proportion of female asylum seekers from FGM-practising countries out of the total number of female applicants was the highest in Malta at more than 90%. This does not mean that 90% of African women who come here have been subjected to mutilation – but one could probably say that a good deal of them have been.

FGM is barbarous. It is painful and often practiced on infants and girls up to the age of about 15. In reality, aside from the aspect of sexual pleasure, it can lead to death through infection. It is creates excruciating pain and can cause long term health problems for women, including the ability to carry children.

In the past, FGM was largely carried out in backyards of villages – horrific conditions for such a procedure. But now, it is estimated that about 15 % of all cases are actually being carried out by medical practitioners in Africa.

Aside from banning the practice here, the real foresight shown by Dr Fearne was in also proposing that FGM carried out on Maltese nationals abroad, also be covered by the law. When we say Maltese, we mean children who have been born here, and are Maltese. In introducing this law, it would mean that parents who might take their child to Africa to undergo the ‘procedure’.

But putting this into law alone, will not do. To really fight against and eradicate the practice, we must embark on an education campaign. Aside from informing people of African descent that the practice is unacceptable in our society, and that it will be punishable by law, we must teach them that the age-old beliefs are wrong and that it is an extremely dangerous ‘procedure’ for a child or young woman to have to go through.

We often accuse our politicians of being too caught up in frivolous matters, this is one instance that ought to be recognised and Dr Fearne deserves praise and recognition.

One hopes that when the bill is put forward, discussed and fine-tuned, it will be voted through parliament unanimously.