Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent steps he has taken to help end female genital mutilation in (a) Sierra Leone and (b) other African states.

We advocate for a comprehensive approach to eliminating Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) that includes prevention and access to services. In Sierra Leone, we support the sexual and reproductive health rights of women and girls and their education. We tackle sexual gender-based violence by providing grants to survivor-led movements and changing societal beliefs and behaviours that underpin FGM through work with women and girl led civil society organisations. Globally, the UK has supported the Africa-Led Movement to End FGM since 2013 and is providing £35 million between 2019 and 2027 to grassroots African organisations leading change within communities. We also provide funding to the UN Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM which works with 17 national governments in Africa.