MP's want to ban promotion of female genital mutilation; 4,000 girls at risk
Dutch lawmakers are calling for a tougher crackdown on female genital mutilation (FGM), proposing a new law that would make it a criminal offense to promote or glorify the practice. The move comes as fresh data reveals that over 4,200 girls in the Netherlands are at risk of undergoing FGM in the coming years, according to RTL.
Although FGM is already illegal in the Netherlands, the VVD and SP political parties say the law falls short. Calls to perform the procedure—often delivered through sermons, social media posts, or educational materials—frequently go unpunished due to protections for freedom of speech and religion. The proposed legislation aims to close that gap by targeting the incitement and normalization of the practice.
“We want it clearly stated in the law that even endorsing or praising female genital mutilation is a criminal offense,” SP MP Sarah Dobbe told RTL. “If someone says that cutting a woman is a good thing, that must be punishable.”
Bente Becker of the VVD added, “This is a horrific form of abuse. We must take firm action. That includes criminalizing any expression that promotes or excuses it—whether in weekend schools, on social media, or in teaching materials.”
The proposed legislation would carry penalties of up to two years in prison or a significant fine. Lawmakers say such measures are needed to prevent the practice and address the influence of religious or community figures who support it.
Becker cited a controversial case in The Hague in which a mosque teacher appeared in videos saying that female circumcision was acceptable. He was ultimately acquitted. “That’s unacceptable,” Becker said to RTL. “This kind of speech fuels a culture where mutilation is normalized.”
FGM typically involves the cutting or removal of parts of the female genitals and is often performed in secret, either in the Netherlands or abroad. According to health equity organization Pharos, around 41,000 women and girls currently living in the Netherlands have been subjected to FGM. Of these, more than 4,200 are at risk of undergoing the procedure in the near future.
The World Health Organization identifies three types of FGM, ranging from the partial or total removal of the clitoris to more extensive forms of genital cutting, including narrowing of the vaginal opening.
Survivors say the trauma is long-lasting. Dilsoz, who was circumcised at the age of six in Iraq, said her mother’s aunt insisted on it being done. “It’s a deeply rooted tradition passed from mother to mother, often with good intentions, as strange as that sounds,” she told RTL. “It was incredibly lonely—your own mother allowing that to happen to you.”
The lawmakers argue that FGM is often justified within communities by religious leaders or others in positions of authority, planting the idea that it is culturally or spiritually required.
“Sometimes it's not a direct call to action,” said Becker. “It’s wrapped in explanation or justification, but the message is the same: this is something that belongs in the culture. That is precisely what we must prevent.”
Dobbe said the bill would also help uncover more cases by bringing calls for FGM into the legal spotlight. “By criminalizing the promotion of this abuse, we gain insight into where it’s happening and who’s involved. That gives us the tools to respond and protect girls before it’s too late.”
Although FGM has been outlawed in the Netherlands for more than a decade, no one has ever been convicted. Dobbe and Becker stress that better enforcement and awareness are critical to preventing further harm.
“This form of abuse must not be allowed to continue in silence,” the two lawmakers told RTL. “We must protect our girls and young women and ensure this has no place in our society.”
