Description
I am a member of the cross-government committee which tries to work together to prevent FGM/C and also to assist with community education of health professionals and girls and women and men for whom FGM/C can be considered a cultural imperative even though it is illegal in Australia and globally considered a Human Rights Abuse. I have over the years assisted with training and also with review of resource development for education both to health professionals as well as to individuals and groups with limited health literacies and or limited english proficiencies.Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) is recognised as a form of child abuse and violence against women, which is illegal and subject to criminal prosecution.
WA Health, specifically through King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH), provides specialised services, training, and resources to address FGM/C.
Here are the key aspects regarding FGM/C:
Legal Status: It is a criminal offence to perform FGM/C in Western Australia, with laws covering procedures on young girls and prohibiting taking children outside the state for the procedure.
Health and Support Services: Women's Health Strategy and Programs (WHSP) within WA Health provides training to health professionals on how to offer culturally inclusive care to people from backgrounds where FGM/C may be practiced. This includes clinical guidelines for care, such as deinfibulation (reversal) services.
| Period | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Held at | The Western Australian Committee for the Prevention of Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting (FGMC), Australia, Western Australia |