European Trade Union Committee for Education

According to the European Parliament Resolution on Ending female genital mutilation (2012), an estimated 500,000 women living in the EU have been subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) and 180,000 girls and women are at risk of undergoing this procedure every year. The most common age of girls subjected to FGM is 14 and younger.

The European Network END FGM, umbrella network of 20 organisations working on European action to end FGM, launched a multi-lingual knowledge and training platform United to End FGM. It provides free e-learning courses in 9 European languages designed to raise awareness and to train European professionals in education, health, social and child protection, and other sectors, on how to deal with those affected by FGM.

The online training module for educators aims at improving their knowledge about FGM and providing practical advice on how to ensure culturally sensitive support to students who went through this procedure and protection to those at risk of FGM. The e-learning course also provides information on how to recognise girls at risk of FGM and how to communicate with parents who want their children to undergo FGM. The knowledge platform also includes country specific information on legal framework, policies, milestones and practices covering 11 EU member states most affected by FGM.