The United Nations has recognised female genital mutilation (FGM) as a human
rights violation, despite this, there are no reliable data on the extent of FGM in the United Kingdom. Lack of data on FGM marginalises the issue. An urgent need for these data has been expressed at all levels, from grassroots organisations to parliament. These are the first systematic estimates for England and Wales. Although, as the report describes, there are some limitations in the methods used, they give some insight into the scale and the spread of FGM in England and Wales and support the view that action is needed to prevent FGM being passed on to the younger generation.
