Professional resources
Professional resources related to female genital mutilation
Guidance and resources to support nurses, midwives, nursing associates and related health care professionals.
The RCN has published guidance and pathways to support different aspects around FGM.
FGM legislation
England, Wales and Northern Ireland
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, FGM is illegal under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 and in Scotland it is illegal under the Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation (Scotland) Act 2005. The legislation in England and Wales was strengthened by the Serious Crime Act (2015) to better support those at risk. See also:
An RCN resource for nursing and midwifery practice
Female Genital Mutilation.
Through the Serious Crime Act 2015 as well as the Mandatory Duty to Report to the police in England and Wales, there are other important additions to strengthen the protection of those at risk of FGM, including Female Genital Mutilation Protection Order (FGMPO), Offence of failing to protect a girl from risk of FGM, and Anonymity of victims of FGM.
Scotland
The Scottish Government has the following information on FGM:
The Female Genital Mutilation (Protection and Guidance) (Scotland) Bill is also in progress (2020), see: New law to prevent female genital mutilation.
Guidance
- NHS England. Female genital mutilation - care and prevention. NHS England's refreshed webpage detailing NHS work on FGM
- NHS England. Commissioning services to meet the needs of women and girls with Female Genital Mutilation. Guidance from NHS England with recommendations for commissioners to make sure services meet the needs of women and girls with Female Genital Mutilation and to safeguard those at risk
- Department of Health and Social Care. Safeguarding women and girls at risk of FGM. Practical help to support NHS organisations developing new safeguarding policies and procedures for female genital mutilation.
- Department for Education & Home Office. Mandatory reporting of female genital mutilation: procedural information
- NHS Digital (2020). Female Genital Mutilation Enhanced Dataset
- Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care & Home Office. Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation
- Department of Health and Social Care. Services for women and girls with FGM
- Department of Health and Social Care. FGM: video resources for healthcare professionals
Further resources
- Ali et al. (2020) Exploring young people’s interpretations of female genital mutilation in the UK using a community-based participatory research approach, BMC Public Health (2020) 20:1132
- Beyond FGM. Beyond FGM is a UK registered charity working a community based organisation in Pokot, Kenya to eradicate FGM
- FGM Specialist Network. An e-network for health professionals working on FGM & health related issues
- Health and Social Care Information Centre: Dataset, February 2015: Female genital mutilation
- Health Education England: e-Learning for Healthcare: Female genital mutilation
- Home Office. Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM. A free online safeguarding training course developed for the Home Office by Virtual College.
- London Assembly. Tackling female genital mutilation in London (PDF).
- McEwan, J & Bedford, H (2021) Developing an app to support sensitive enquiry and discussion about female genital mutilation, Journal of Health Visiting, 2 April 2021, 9(4)
- National FGM Centre. “Between two cultures”: a rapid PEER study exploring migrant communities’ views on female genital mutilation in Essex and Norfolk (PDF).
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. Let's talk FGM. This resource supports discussion on female genital mutilation. It is also available as an app
- RCNi. Primary Health Care journal. Using forum theatre with health visitor students to improve recognition and risk assessment of honour-based violence
- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Guideline: Female Genital Mutilation and its management
- Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow’s Faculty of Travel Medicine. Supporting travel health professionals to prevent Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This is a free e-learning module, which aims to examine the potential barriers there may be to raising the topic in a travel medicine consultation.
- Virtual College. Female Genital Mutilation: Recognising and Preventing FGM. A free online safeguarding training course.
- World Health Organization factsheet. Female genital mutilation.
- World Health Organization. Care of girls and women living with female genital mutilation: a clinical handbook.
FGM Call to action
FGM films
NHS England has released six scenario-based animations which help explore how and when questions would and would not be asked about FGM in community health care settings, as a girl grows up. View the animations.
Watch four films developed by the Royal College of Midwives in collaboration with a range of Royal Colleges and survivors:
See more FGM related videos: #EndFGM
Cervical smear and FGM animation
Female Genital Mutilation: What it is and how to get help (PDF)
FGM Campaign groups
Page last updated - 21/08/2023
