“Islam United to Stop Female Genital Mutilation” From AllAfrica.com with thanks to Eric.
Ministers, politicians and religious leaders from almost 50 Muslim states were gathered for two days in the Moroccan capital at the first Islamic childhood conference.
The resulting “Rabat Declaration” puts special emphasis on female genital mutilation and other harmful practices discriminating girls, underlining it is against Islam.
Female genital mutilation (FGM), which is also called female circumcision, is most widespread in sub-Saharan Muslim cultures, but Muslim scholars for decades have emphasised that there is no Islamic basis for the very harmful practice, which causes many deaths among young girls each year.
The growing number of anti-FGM activists today found solid support among the most important decision-makers in the united Islamic world, united in Rabat. The first Islamic Conference of Ministers in Charge of Childhood – organised by the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) – today issued a strong-worded declaration condemning FGM.
The Rabat Declaration called upon all Muslim states to “take the necessary measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against girls and all harmful traditional or customary practices, such as child marriage and female genital mutilation.” The protection of children “from all forms of exploitation, abuse, torture and violence” was high on the Ministers’ agenda…