16:01, 16 January 2017

Justice Initiative sends 42 confirmations of women's circumcision to Dagestani GPO

In response to the demand of the General Prosecutor's Office (GPO) of Dagestan to provide information about the victims of female circumcision, the "Justice Initiative for Russia" (SRJI) has sent anonymous interviews collected for a research of the mutilating genital surgeries in girls in the republic.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on December 13, 2016, the Dagestani GPO asked the SRJI to present the materials of the research, dedicated to victims of female circumcision in Dagestan.

Debates around the problem of female circumcision were launched in Dagestan in August after the publication of the study by the "Legal Initiative". Rights defenders have noted that the mutilating surgeries are conducted with the support of the local clergy. According to preliminary estimates, tens of thousands of women, who suffered from such surgeries, now live in the republic.

Today, the authors of the research, initiated by the SRJI, sent to the GPO the texts of 42 anonymous interviews, collected for the study "Mutilating Genital Surgeries in Dagestani Girls".

The SRJI has re-voiced its recommendations on what other agencies can do to prevent the female circumcision in Dagestan, namely, to support the nationwide and local women's organizations, striving to eliminate female circumcision and other practices, harmful to women's health; and religious enlightenment and dialogue with religious leaders, says today's statement posted on the website of the SRJI.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.