December 21, 2010
International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Martine Ward
Uganda has called for the whole of Africa to stop the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM).
The country's state minister for gender Rukia Nakadama called for a widespread ban, claiming its own outlawing of the act could not be successful if its neighbouring countries continued the practice, reports New Vision.
Her appeal came following reports some girls had been taken to Kenya for female genital mutilation to be carried out on them.
"We have a law in place against the practice. Unless we ask our neighbours to put in place similar laws, our girls will cross over to be cut," Ms Nakadama said, reports the news provider.
The Ugandan government passed the anti-FGM law in December last year, and a ten-year jail term could be imposed on anyone caught practising it, but it reportedly still persists in the country.
In 2007, children's charity Unicef and the United Nations Population Fund launched a campaign to put an end to the practice.
By 2012, the organisations hope there will be a 40 per cent reduction in FGM around the world.
