HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 501
(By Delegates Brown, P. White, Douglas,
Brum and Leach)

Condemning the culturally-perpetuated and barbaric practice of genital mutilation of women.

Whereas, A recently released worldwide human rights report by the U.S. Department of State focused, for the first time, on historically-tolerated and culturally-reinforced practices which abuse and discriminate against women throughout the world; and

Whereas, The genital mutilation of women is widely practiced in half the countries of Africa and some parts of the Middle East; and
Whereas, Women are culturally brainwashed to permit and to undergo genital mutilation because the ritual is viewed as a societal rite of passage and the only means for ensuring young girls remain marriageable; and
Whereas, As many as 85 to 110 million women in the world have endured the excruciating pain of genital mutilation with a host of legacies, such as life-threatening infection, chronic pain and hazardous childbirth; and
Whereas, The recent State Department report confirms that the practice of genitally mutilating women is so ingrained in cultures that immigrants continue to force their daughters to undergo the procedure even within the confines of the United States of America; therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That the excruciatingly painful and culturally-perpetuated practice of genital mutilation of women within the confines of the United States or in any other country of the world should be widely condemned and denounced and immediately countered with aggressive measures designed to ensure the practice is permanently eliminated; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the President of the United States and his Secretary of State, Secretary of Health and Human Services and Director of Immigration and Naturalization Services, and to members of the West Virginia congressional delegation.