By Catherine Bekunda and Joyce Namutebi

PARLIAMENT has urged the United Nations (UN) member states to support a motion banning Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) at the General Assembly in September.

The motion was moved by Tingey MP Herbert Sabila. Tingey is located in Kapchorwa district where the practice is carried out.

Sabila appealed to the Government to take a lead role in sponsoring and soliciting support from African countries to adopt a resolution banning FGM globally during the African Union summit in July.

The summit will tackle issues of reproductive and maternal health.
The motion also called upon African states to domesticate the Maputo protocol, which outlawed FGM.

Justifying his motion, Sabila said the Constitution provides that “no person shall be subjected to any form of torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

FGM is carried out in more than 25 countries.

Uganda last year passed a Bill entitled ‘Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation’, which was assented to by President Yoweri Museveni in March.

The World Health Organisation estimates that more than 130 million women have undergone the procedure.