BRUSSELS, Jan. 28 (Chinese media) -- The Dutch government is considering sentencing parents to jail if they allow their daughters to be circumcised, local media reported Wednesday.
State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport Jet Bussemaker wants to toughen the rules to fight female genital mutilation, which is illegal in the Netherlands, Dutch daily De Volkskrant said.
According to her proposal, parents whose roots are in "high risk" countries where female circumcision is not unusual should sign a contract before visiting such countries, which include Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia.
They should say in the contract that they will protect their daughters from being circumcised or face going to prison. If a medical examination on their return establishes that a girl has been circumcised, the parents will be sent to jail.
Bussemaker said a similar contract system in France had been proved effective. She is currently discussing the implementation of the new measures with the Dutch justice minister.
A recent report on government efforts over the past three years to fight genital mutilation of girls concluded that the 3 million euro (3.96 million U.S. dollar) budget to combat the practice had been ineffective.
"These parents are under enormous pressure from their family and community to circumcise their daughters. Such a contract is needed so they can say that they will be prosecuted if they go ahead with it," Bussemaker was quoted as saying.
The number of girls in the Netherlands who have been circumcised is still not known. Regional health departments said estimates of 500 cases a year are only "the tip of the iceberg," the newspaper said.
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