Addressing female genital mutilation in the Asia Pacific: the neglected sustainable development target

While much work has focused on advocacy and prevention efforts in countries of high prevalence in Africa and diaspora in Europe, there has been a paucity of discussion on FGM in the Asia‐Pacific region. FGM is practised in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, the Philippines and Indonesia; however, none of these countries are supported by the UNFPA‐UNICEF Joint Programme on the Abandonment of FGM. Australia and New Zealand are also home to migrant women and girls with FGM. There are reports of the practice being undertaken in Australia and cases where parents have travelled to their countries of origin to have their daughters excised. However, despite legislation, there have been very few prosecutions.