International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

Campaign groups in Egypt want authorities in the country to stop the Freedom and Justice Party's (FJP) female genital mutilation (FGM) operations in the village of Abu Aziz.

Bikya Masr reports that communications have been sent to Mervat Tallawy, the head of the National Council for Women (NCW) and Major General Seraj El Din El Rouby, the Governor of Minya, demanding they stop the FJP.

According to news sites and social networking pages originating in the area, a mobile convoy is wandering the region performing the procedure and distributing pro FGM propaganda.

FGM is illegal in Egypt and the NCW has stated that the FJP's call for female circumcision was "totally unacceptable".

The NCW has asked the governor to take swift action to combat these latest reports and will step up its own efforts in the Minya area.

An awareness campaign in the surrounding governorates will aim to educate all citizens that FGM is an illegal act with dire consequences for those young women who are subjected to it.

Posted by Martine Ward