Portugal establishes working group to combat female genital mutilation

Portugal has officially established a temporary working group dedicated to preventing and combating harmful practices, including female genital mutilation, child, early, and forced marriages, and honour killings. The decree was published in the Diário da República, with coordination managed by the Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality (CIG).

The group is tasked with operating for approximately six months to present recommendations to the government regarding prevention, protection, intervention, and monitoring. Its mandate includes assessing current legislation, analyzing inter-sectoral coordination, identifying training needs, and proposing awareness campaigns for both professionals and affected communities.

Members to be appointed include representatives from the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA), the Attorney General's Office, security forces, the Directorate-General of Health, the Social Security Institute, and the National Commission for the Rights of Children and Adolescents. Civil society representation will include members from UNICEF Portugal and Rizoma Associação.