Social cohesion is a term used to understand how to go about building community strengthening and community empowerment. We could ask, “What the foundations for mutual respect are in our society? Where do we find a common sense of belonging? How do we build confidence in our whole community? These – and other issues – are found in the building blocks of social cohesion.
On 26 October 2018, the Australian Multicultural Foundation visited the Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District to develop a regional Anti Racism Action Plan. Participants included representatives of many local organisations involved in settlement actions.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
The practice is mostly carried out by traditional circumcisers, who often play other central roles in communities, such as attending childbirths. In many settings, health care providers perform Female genital mutilation due to the erroneous belief that the procedure is safer when medicalized1. WHO strongly urges health professionals not to perform such procedures.
Female genital mutilation is recognised internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. It is nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children. The practice also violates a person’s rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death.