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The Children Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) Act 2019 (c. 10) is an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which amends the Children Act 1989 to change the designation of proceedings under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 as “family proceedings“.

Legislative passage

Zac Goldsmith, in the second reading debate in the House of Commons, stated in relation to female genital mutilation (FGM) court proceedings, “that is clearly an omission in the law, and it means that our courts do not have the full suite of powers necessary to protect girls who are at risk.”[1]

The House of Commons Library notes that FGM has been illegal since 1985.[2] The first successful prosecution of female genital mutilation occurred in February 2019, during the passage of the 2019 act.[3][4]

Keith Vaz, then the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, “It is shocking that 28 years on from female genital mutilation first being made a criminal offence, there has not yet been a successful prosecution in the UK. The Committee’s inquiry will seek to find out why this is the case, as well as considering what more needs to be done to protect at risk girls.”[2]

Provisions

This act enables family courts to issue interim care orders to protect girls at risk of offences female genital mutilation.[5][6]

See also

References

  1. ^ “Family Law Week: Children Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) Act 2019 comes into force”. www.familylawweek.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  2. ^ a b Barber, Sarah (10 March 2014). “Ending FGM in the UK”. House of Commons Library.
  3. ^ Devaney, Susan (12 March 2019). “The UK’s FGM Bill Has Nearly Been Made Law”. British Vogue. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  4. ^ Johnston, John (13 February 2019). “Government-backed bill to crack down on female genital mutilation due ‘imminently’“. PoliticsHome. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
  5. ^ “Children Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill: Remaining Stages – News from Parliament”. UK Parliament. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
  6. ^ D’Arcy, Mark (8 March 2019). “Week ahead in Parliament”. BBC News. Retrieved 13 February 2026.

Wikisource logo The full text of Children Act 1989 (Amendment) (Female Genital Mutilation) Act 2019 at Wikisource