WARSAW, 5 February 2016 – Michael Georg Link, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), today called on OSCE participating States to strengthen their responses to female genital mutilation as a form of violence against girls and women.

“In September 2015, at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, the 193 Member States, including OSCE participating States, unanimously agreed on the goal of eliminating female genital mutilation by 2030,” Director Link said. “Today, ahead of tomorrow’s International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, as on every other day, states have to be conscious of their obligation to work systematically to eradicate female genital mutilation, a form of violence used to harm women, both psychologically and physically, and to embed patriarchy.”

While welcoming the measures many participating States have already introduced in their legal and policy frameworks to prevent and combat female genital mutilation, the ODIHR Director said that more work should be done by governments to ensure their frameworks are in complete compliance with international standards and OSCE commitments in this field.

“Participating States need to take a holistic approach to the problem, not only through efforts to prevent the practice, but also to raise awareness among both women and men of its horrible effects, to provide medical and psychological assistance to victims, and to facilitate the sharing of effective practices in combating these cruel acts,” Director Link said.

Contacts
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
Public Affairs Unit
Ul. Miodowa 10
00-251 Warsaw
Poland
Office: +48 22 520 06 00
Fax: +48 22 520 06 05
PublicAffairs@odihr.pl

Avv. Alessandro Savoca

E’ iscritto all’Ordine degli Avvocati di Palermo dal 2010, E.D.S. Robert Schuman 2011 Strasbourg Alumni

Le Sue aree di competenza sono il Diritto Internazionale Eurounitario, le Fonti dell’Unione Europea, La Convenzione Europea Dei Diritti Dell’Uomo (CEDU) nel Diritto Civile dei Contratti, Tutela della Proprietà, Diritto D’Autore, Diritto alla Riservatezza ed all’Oblio, Mediazione ed Arbitrato, Accesso alle Corti Europee, Diritto dei Media e dell’Informazione, Diritto ad un Equo Processo in un termine ragionevole, Case Law della Unione Europea.

Conciliatore Societario, Mediatore Civile e Commeciale dal 2010, Formatore in materia Internazionale presso il Ministero della Giustizia; Già Delegato Regionale del Tribunale Arbitrale Giudiziario Europeo nel 2013.