International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is celebrated today, February 6th. This practice reflects the strong gender inequality and constitutes a form of discrimination against women, a threat to health, well-being, self-esteem and life.
The Ombudsman of Portugal stresses the date by recalling that such atrocity is a very serious human rights violation, and in Portugal, since 2015, genital mutilation constitutes a crime. This was introduced in the Portuguese Criminal Code in compliance with the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, of May 11th, 2011, in Istanbul, approved by the Parliament.