The French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons OFPRA co-signed the Ile-de-France (Paris-Region) regional plan for 2025-2028 to combat FGM to mark the International Day of Zero Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation. The first regional plan to combat FGM in the Ile-de-France region was drawn up to prevent the risk of FGM and offer adequate support to victims. OFPRA took part in several working groups to set up the plan, under the guidance of the Ile-de-France regional prefecture.
The prevalence of mutilation and the risk of new mutilation among female asylum seekers make it crucial to train the professionals who receive and support them. The training must enable staff to understand the mechanisms at work and be familiar with the French legal framework, as well as the resources available in France to provide care or prevent mutilation.
The plan proposes the following actions:
- Training and equipping professionals working with children and foreign nationals
- Awareness raising among minors: As part of more general initiatives in asylum or in sexual health education, it is necessary to raise awareness among children and young minors of the existence of FGM and the protection offered in France
- Intervention in schools: OFPRA will organise activities in schools to address the issue of the right to asylum and the grounds for protection, with a special focus on the risks of genital mutilation and other forms of violence against women
- Training and awareness raising among legal professionals.
This regional plan aims to strengthen the State's action against FGM, by guaranteeing a coordinated response tailored to the needs of victims, while preventing new cases of mutilation. As of 31 December 2024, almost 24,800 minors at risk of FGM obtained protection by OFPRA