An Indian-origin family in the UK has been banned by the court from flying their baby girl to India as she is at risk of being subjected to genital mutilation procedure.
reports a Judge at Manchester County and Family Court on Monday ruled that the baby girl who will turn two this year, is at the risk of an ‘utterly unacceptable’ practise of genital mutilation.
Judge Robert Jordan was told the baby girl’s three elder sisters had previously been taken to India for the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) procedure.
The court was told religious and cultural pressure had overridden her mother's "maternal instinct".
He issued the protection order after concluding that the little girl was also at risk and needed protecting.
"The effect of the cultural pressure overrode the mother's maternal instinct. As a consequence of religious and cultural pressure the mother facilitated the mutilation of her children," he noted.
"That cultural pressure still exists in their country of origin - and undoubtedly in this country," he added.
Female genital mutilation also known as female circumcision has been banned in the UK.
FGM protection orders came into force in Britain three years ago which give police and local authorities power to intervene to prevent such procedures.
Parents can be barred from taking children abroad and passports can be seized and face prosecution if they breach it.
FGM IS A CRIMINAL OFFENCE IN AUSTRALIA
Australian law prohibits performance of any type of FGM and is a criminal offence in all state and territories of Australia.
The first successful prosecution over female genital mutilation was in NSW in 2016, in Wollongong and Sydney's north-west.
ALSO ON SBS HINDI:
An 11-year-old Indian child fights for life!
