International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

The UK government's decision to scrap the female genital mutilation (FGM) coordinator post in Whitehall could lead to FGM continuing to take place, activists against the practice have claimed.

Around 24,000 girls, who live in ethnic minority communities in favour of the practice, are thought to be at risk from the procedure in the country, reports UK newspaper the Guardian.

Diana Nammi, director of the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation, told the news provider she thinks the government's decision is a "step backwards".

"We feel it speaks about a real lack of commitment from the government and a marginalisation of this hugely important issue," she explained.

Ms Nammi said the coalition should be trying to change the attitude towards FGM within communities in a bid to eradicate the practice, but she warned this is difficult without a "dedicated person in government to drive efforts forward".

Midwife Comfort Momoh, who founded a specialist unit at London's Guy's and St Thomas's Hospital Trust, UK, to help victims of FGM, recently told TrustLaw she believed the practice was all about "controlling women's sexuality".

Posted by Carla Mackenzie