FGM and other harmful practices : The Italian approach

In a multicultural society, even more nowadays as the consequence of large international migration flows affecting Europe, laws aiming to fight and prevent FGM and Forced Marriage must take into account the cultural reasons behind the endurance of these practices. From this perspective the contribution will assess the Italian situation by analysing the Italian Government's policies on FGM (and Forced marriage). In the framework of the Istanbul Convention and other international commitments, and in compliance with recent legal and policy implementation of norms related to prevention and fighting of gender based violence, Italy's government addresses the issues of female genital mutilation (FGM) and forced marriage (FM) with an integrated institutional system based on a wider concept of human rights protection, with the main goal of removing all forms of discrimination and developing gender-sensitive policies in many different areas. Regarding FGM issue, the 7/2006 Law can be considered as the starting point of the implementation of the Italian Government's policies on FGM. The law includes provisions both on the prevention and prohibition of FGM/C, and adds specific new articles to the penal code. The repressive connotation of the law, with a strong symbolic meaning, is counterbalanced by a multi-layered strategy envisaging a set of preventive measures such as setting up support services for the rehabilitation and care of women and girls victims of FGM. The contribution will consider impacts and results taking into account that a wider socio-anthropological perspective would improve a better understanding of the cultural principles upon which the social legitimacy (and the reproduction) of these