20. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade how effective is the United Nations in addressing human rights issues such as FGM in Somalia; the role Ireland and the Government can play in supporting UN efforts to combat practices like FGM (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32134/26]

Female Genital Mutilation is a fundamental violation of the human rights of women and girls. It is nearly always carried out on girls under the age of 18. According to UN Women, globally over 230 million girls and women have undergone female genital mutilation, with 63% of these cases taking place in Africa. Each year, around 4 million more girls are at risk. While there has been an overall decline in the prevalence of female genital mutilation in the last three decades, not all countries have made progress and the pace of change has been uneven.

Human rights, and gender equality, are a cornerstone of Ireland’s foreign policy. A Better World, Ireland’s policy for international development, establishes gender equality as an overarching policy priority, and our aid programme has a strong focus on the prevention of, and response to, gender-based violence.

We work closely with partners, notably UN Agencies focused on gender-based violence and female genital mutilation. We provide significant core funding to UNFPA and UNICEF, which jointly lead the largest global programme to accelerate the elimination of female genital mutilation. It focuses on 18 African countries and supports the development of legislation outlawing female genital mutilation; funds community and media education initiatives; and provides training to improve health care services for those affected. Our Embassies in Africa, in managing our bilateral development programmes, also work directly with organisations tackling female genital mutilation at community level.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a member of the Irish Consortium on Gender Based Violence, a unique Irish collaboration dedicated to improving learning, capacity and advocacy around gender-based violence, including prevention and response to female genital mutilation. The consortium brings together 14 partners across government and civil society.

Female genital mutilation remains a significant issue in Somalia. Ireland has provided consistent humanitarian and development support to the people of Somalia, working with partners to assist Somalia in dealing with the combined impact of conflict, climate change and significant development challenges. In 2024, we provided just under €10 million in bilateral assistance to Somalia, including funding to the Somalia Humanitarian Fund and the International Red Cross. We are committed to continuing to work closely in partnership with government, local communities, civil society and multilateral agencies to address the complex factors behind the continuing issue of female genital mutilation in Somalia and elsewhere.