Women’s Groups In Somali Town Push For Law Banning Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting

"Women's groups in the Somali town of Galkayo are lobbying the authorities in the self-declared autonomous region of Puntland to enact a law banning female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), saying the practice was becoming widespread," IRIN reports. "Activists say FGM/C causes serious health problems to the women and is against their religion," according to the news service, which speaks with several advocates pushing for the enactment of an anti-FGM/C law. The advocates note that, in addition to passing a law, "a religious fatwa [decree] proclaiming that FGM is Haram [illegal] under Islam" and "convincing and winning the support of traditional elders and religious leaders was crucial to" their efforts, IRIN writes (11/3).