Statement opposing female genital mutilation

Female genital mutilation is prohibited in Switzerland. The government wants to support girls and families in protecting themselves against this practice. The «Statement opposing female genital mutilation» is intended to help do this. You can order or download a copy here.

The practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) is a violation of human rights with serious consequences for mental and physical health. FGM is prohibited in Switzerland and it is also an offence to have this practice carried out abroad.

Female genital mutilation is usually carried out before entering Switzerland and sometimes during a holiday to the country of origin. The people involved are often unaware that the parents of girls affected risk legal consequences in Switzerland.

Stop FGM: statement opposing female genital mutilation

The Federal Council wishes to emphasise the legal situation in Switzerland through the «Statement opposing female genital mutilation». The document is intended to support families and girls in resisting social and family pressure from their community in their country of origin and from the diaspora.

Order statement opposing FGM (free of charge)

The «Statement opposing female genital mutilation» is available in English, German, French, Italian, Amharic, Arabic, Somali and Tigrinya. 

A printed copy of the statement can be ordered free of charge on the website of migesplus : Statement opposing female genital mutilation.

Download statement opposing FGM

A PDF version of the statement is also available for download in all languages. The versions in German, French and Italian can be found on the corresponding web pages.

• Statement opposing female genital mutilation

  Female genital mutilation is prohibited in Switzerland and it is also an offence to have this practice carried out abroad. This letter of protection is intended to support families and girls in resisting social and family pressure.

  • Statement opposing female genital mutilation

    PDF932.55 kB27 June 2024

• ንምክንሻብ ኣዋልድ ዝምልከት ናይ ምክልኻል ደብዳበ (Tigrinya)

  ምኽንሻብ ደቂ ኣንስትዮ ክልኩል እዩ። ነዚ ኣብ ወጻኢ ሃገር ከም ዝፍጸም ምግባር እውን ገበን ኮይኑ ሕጋዊ መቕጻዕቲ የስዕብ እዩ። እዚ ናይ ምክልኻል ደብዳበ: ስድራቤታትን ኣዋልድን ንማሕበራውን ስድራቤታውን ጸቕጢ ንኽቃወሙ ክሕግዞም ዝዓለመ እዩ።

  • Statement opposing female genital mutilation (Tigrinya)

    PDF2.12 MB18 August 2025

• Warqada illaalada ka dhanka ah gudniinka dumarka (Somali)

  Gudaha Switzerland, gudniinka dumarka waa mamnuuc. Sidoo kale waa xadgudub dambi in lagu sameeyo qaliinkaan wadamada kale. Warqadaan illaalada waxaa loogu tallogalay inay taageerto qoysaska iyo gabdhaha inay ka hor yimaadaan cadaadiska bulshada iyo qoyska.

  • Statement opposing female genital mutilation (Somali)

    PDF2.19 MB18 August 2025

• خطاب الحماية السويسري الرسمي ضد ختان الإناث (Arabic)

  ختان الإناث ممنوع في سويسرا. ويعاقب عليه القانون أيضًا إذا تم تنفيذه خارج البلاد. خطاب الحماية هذا لدعم الأسر والبنات في مواجهة الضغط العائلي والاجتماعي الذي يقع عليهن

  • Statement opposing female genital mutilation (Arabic)

    PDF2.15 MB18 August 2025

• በስዊዝ ኮንፌዴሬሽን ከሴቶች ግርዛት (Amharic)

  በስዊዘርላንድ ውስጥ፣ የሴት ልጅ ግርዛት የተከለከለ ነው። ይህን ተግባር በሌሎች ሀገራት ውስጥም መፈጸም ወንጀል ነው። የዚህ የጥበቃ ደብዳቤ ዓላማ ቤተሰቦችን እና ሴቶችን ከማህበራዊ እና ከቤተሰብ ግፊት እንዲከላከሉ ድጋፍ መስጠት ነው።

  • BAG_Schutzbrief_mit-Zusatz_WEB_AMH_240626.pdf

    Statement opposing female genital mutilation (Amharic)

    PDF2.11 MB18 August 2025

Further information and points of contact

The statement opposing FGM is one of many measures aimed at preventing female genital mutilation supported by the federal government and implemented by the Network Against Female Genital Cutting Switzerland.

• Measures against female genital mutilation
• Individual advice for specialists and those affected: please contact the Network Against Female Genital Cutting Switzerland: [e-mail] / [phone]
• In situations of risk, we recommend seeking advice from the national or a regional contact point 
  

• Links

  • Platform of the Network against Female Genital Cutting Switzerland
  • Caritas Switzerland
  • Santé sexuelle (available in French, German and Italien)
  • Interdisciplinary Centre for Gender Studies

• Legislation

  Penal provision against female genital mutilation in the Swiss Criminal Code

  Die weibliche Genitalverstümmelung (FGM) ist eine grobe Verletzung der körperlichen Unversehrtheit und verstösst gegen internationales und nationales Recht. Seit Juli 2012 ist in der Schweiz eine explizite Strafnorm gegen FGM in Kraft (StGB Art. 124).

Further topics