Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) practitioners in Egypt now face 15 years behind bars if found guilty of carrying out the procedure, following an amended law that has come into effect.
The anti-FGM law will now see Health Ministry officials monitor and oversee clinics and private hospitals operations to ensure the effectiveness of the law.
Despite the 15-year slap being punishment under circumstances in which the procedure results to permanent disability or death, the new law has also sought to increase the jail terms for those convicted for the crime to a term of between five and seven years, contrary to the former law, that resulted to a jail term of between three months and two years.
Parents and family members also risk serving a jail term of between one and three years if convicted of accompanying or forcing young girls to undertake the procedure.
FGM has been considered illegal in Egypt since 2008 and despite the activity remaining popular in the rural areas; successful convictions of doctors found practicing the procedure have been extremely rare.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which categorizes FGM as a violation of human rights, more than 200 million girls and women have undergone the cut with over 2 million joining their ranks each year.
