Finland approves separate law banning female genital mutilation

Until now, this conduct was only punishable under Finnish law as assault or aggravated assault.

Lawmakers sitting in the plenary session of parliament. — On Tuesday, the Finnish parliament passed the law. File photo. Photo: Silja Viitala / Yle

The Finnish Parliament has voted in favor of the government’s proposal to develop a specific law banning the practice and preparation of female genital mutilation (FGM).

FGM means the cutting or removal of part or all of the vulva for non-medical reasons.

Previously, female genital mutilation was only punishable under Finnish law as assault or aggravated assault.

In his program for the government, the Prime Minister Petteri OrpoThe administration stated that it planned to make female genital mutilation a more explicit offense in the Penal Code, which led to: development of the bill passed by parliament on Tuesday.

The updated law means that the ban on practicing the profession also covers any damage to a woman’s external genital organs and the total or partial removal of a genital organ.

In addition to performing female genital mutilation, the new law also prohibits “preparing” someone to undergo the procedure.

The government defines grooming as taking a woman or girl abroad for genital mutilation or forcing or inducing her to undergo the procedure.

The new law will come into force at the turn of the year.

Test by the previous government under the leadership Sanna Marinfor a similar change to the Finnish Criminal Code ran aground due to concerns that the law does not prohibit male circumcision either.