The main objective is to enhance the performance of Portuguese co-operation to improve gender equality, increase the empowerment of women and girls in partner countries as a fundamental factor in pursuing sustainable development goals and making global development more equitable, fair and sustainable. Gender equality is particularly important for a more coherent development policy, so it is essential to balance equality between women and men through Portuguese bilateral and multilateral co-operation and partnerships with civil entities and the private sector in order to ensure full implementation of women’s rights.
Equally important are the issues of raising awareness, preventing and acting on situations of violence against women in various contexts and scenarios, including those in times of conflict and reconciliation.
Female Genital Mutilation
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is carried out according to allegedly legitimate cultural, religious and ancestral practices. Every year three million girls and young women are subjected to this practice and 140 million women around the world have to live with the damage and stress that FGM causes.
Camões, I.P. (in conjunction with IPAD and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) has belonged to the Working Group for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (WG/FGM) since 2007.
Members of the Working Group for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation:
- Portuguese Council of Ministers - CIG (Commission for Citizenship and Gender Equality) e ACIDI, IP (High Commissioner for Immigration and Intercultural Dialogue)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Camões – Institute of Language and Co-operation, I.P.
- Ministry of Health – DGS (General Directorate of Health)
- Ministry of Employment, Solidarity and Social Security – IEFP (Institute of Employment and Professional Training)
- Ministry of Justice – DGPJ (Directorate-General for Judicial Policy) and EPJ (Judicial Police School)
- Ministry of Internal Affairs
- Ministry of Education - DGE (Directorate-General of Education)
- Ministry of Employment, Solidarity and Social Security – CNPCJR (National Commission for the Protection of Children and Young People at Risk)
- IOM – International Organisation for Migration
- NGDO UMAR – União Mulheres Alternativa e Resposta
- NGDO APF – Portuguese Family Planning Association
- Uallado Folai Association
- Community of Portuguese Language Countries
National Programmes
I Programa de Ação para a Eliminação da Mutilação Genital Feminina – 2008 - 2010
II Programa de Ação para a Eliminação da Mutilação Genital Feminina – 2011- 2013 (IV Plano Nacional para a Igualdade – Género, Cidadania e Não Discriminação)
III Programa de Ação para a Prevenção e Eliminação da MGF 2014 – 2017 (V Plano Nacional para a Igualdade de Género, Cidadania e Não Discriminação)
Documents
"Too Much Pain": FGM & Asylum in the EU - Statistical Overview Now Available
Normas clínicas sobre MGF - Orientações Técnicas da Direção Geral de Saúde
"Eliminação da Mutilação Genital Feminina. Declaração Conjunta" OHCHR, ONUSIDA, PNUD, UNECA, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNIFEM, OMS (Edição do IPAD, I.P.)
Manual de Formação em Mutilação Genital Feminina para Profissionais de Saúde APF e OMS (Edição do IPAD, I.P.)
Fim à MGF: uma estratégia para as instituições da União Europeia
Global Strategy to Stop Healthcare Providers From Preforming Female Genital Mutilation
Guia de Procedimentos para Órgãos de Polícia Criminal
Campaign videos “O Direito a Viver sem Mutilação Genital Feminina”: