VZCZCXRO9725
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOU #0972 2941603
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201603Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY OUAGADOUGOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4302
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS OUAGADOUGOU 000972 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM UV
SUBJECT: MEETING HIGHLIGHTS THE FIGHT AGAINST FEMALE GENITAL 
MUTILATION 
 
¶1. Summary: A recent Sub-Regional Meeting on the Fight against 
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in West Africa, hosted by the first 
ladies of Burkina Faso and Niger, highlighted the importance of the 
issue to the two governments.  Participants created a regional plan 
of action that aims to harmonize legislation in the sub-region, 
making FGM illegal and punishable by law throughout West Africa, in 
order to eliminate excision by the year 2015.  GOBF officials noted 
that despite their best efforts, Burkina Faso and many other 
countries in the region have a prevalence rate of 50 percent.  First 
lady Chantal Compaore and other high-profile participants expressed 
their hope that this regional approach would further decrease the 
prevalence of, and support for, FGM, and make more actors 
accountable for the role they play in promoting the practice.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. As part of their campaign against FGM in West Africa, the first 
ladies of Burkina Faso and Niger presided over an October 14-15 
meeting on FGM in Ouagadougou.  Other participants included Burkina 
Faso's Minister of Social Action, the United Nations Development 
Fund for Women (UNIFEM) regional director, the Mayor's office of 
Ouagadougou, and representatives of the first ladies of Benin, 
Ghana, Mali, Cote d'Ivoire and Togo. 
 
¶3. For almost two decades, recalled Jean Ilboudo of the Mayor's 
office, countries in West and Central Africa have been engaging in 
public awareness campaigns to criminalize and discourage excision. 
Despite their efforts, Ilboudo bemoaned, the FGM prevalence rate in 
Burkina Faso and in several other countries in the region (including 
Togo, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, and Ghana) is around 50 percent, and the 
practice is still being supported by individuals from all areas of 
society. 
 
¶4. According to conference participants, one factor contributing to 
the continued prevalence rate of FGM in West Africa is that all 
countries in the sub-region do not adhere to the same laws, and 
there are currently no concrete trans-border measures in place 
preventing supporters of FGM from taking advantage of the weak laws 
in some countries.  For example, in Mali, where the rate is 85 
percent, FGM is still legal.  As the Minister of Social Action, 
Pascaline Tamini indicated, women and young girls can be brought 
across national borders to countries where excision is legal, or 
where law enforcement is weak. 
 
¶5. In an effort to draw attention to these problems, participants 
issued a joint declaration and action plan.  The declaration and 
action plan called on governments to harmonize and enforce national 
laws against FGM, reinvigorate public awareness about FGM as a human 
rights violation, encourage participation by religious and cultural 
leaders, and create zero prevalence of FGM in the region by the year 
¶2015.  Additionally, the plan calls for a regional approach in 
connection with donor assistance to permit harmonized multi-annual 
financing for this cause. 
 
¶6.  Comment: National efforts to combat FGM in Burkina Faso since 
1990 have included the creation of a National Committee (CNLE) for 
the Fight Against Excision (created in 1990 as part of the Ministry 
of Social Action), and of three national action plans.  Despite 
these efforts, FGM continues to be a serious concern in Burkina 
Faso.  Hopefully, as a result of this event, with the high-level 
attention it received due to the presence the first lady, public 
awareness about the dangers of FGM will continue to grow and 
tolerance for the practice will decrease. 
 
LAEUCHLI