Enfield Borough Council has supported a motion to stamp out female genital mutilation.

The motion was started by Councillor Denise Headley and it has now been agreed that the council will be working to crack down on the issue.

At a meeting on Wednesday, November 27, the council also called on the government to introduce statutory provisions to include a zero tolerance approach to violence and abuse towards women in personal, social and health education classes.

Enfield Council’s cabinet member for community wellbeing and public health, Councillor Christine Hamilton, said:  “Female Genital Mutilation is an abhorrent practice and no child, regardless of their cultural background should be forced to endure this procedure.

“FGM is an unnecessary and illegal practice which causes massive physical, mental and emotional harm, usually to very young girls. We very much oppose this practice and we strongly support all measures taken to end this barbaric practice once and for all.”

The local authority was also the first council in the capital to be awarded white ribbons status for their work in the borough to stop violence against women and girls.