A/HRC/29/20 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 27 March 2015 Original: English Human Rights Council Twenty-ninth session Agenda items 2 and 3 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Good practices and major challenges in preventing and eliminating female genital mutilation Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Summary The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 27/22 on intensifying global efforts and sharing good practices to effectively eliminate female genital mutilation. Following a brief overview of issues related to that practice and the applicable legal framework, the report contains a summary of some of the initiatives undertaken by States, United Nations entities and non-governmental and other organizations to eliminate it, and an analysis of the continued challenges. The report contains a number of conclusions and recommendations, as well as the observations that female genital mutilation in all its forms is prohibited under international human rights law and that States have an obligation to respect, protect and fulfil the right of women and girls to live free from female genital mutilation. The report includes a call on States to, inter alia, adopt and implement legislation that prohibits female genital mutilation, in accordance with international human rights law; develop comprehensive policies to address female genital mutilation, involving all levels of government; promote the education of girls; undertake education and awareness-raising initiatives; challenge the social norms supporting female genital mutilation and delink the practice from religion, social norms, harmful stereotypes and cultural beliefs that perpetuate discrimination against women; harness political leadership to end the practice; and harmonize data collection. GE.15-06559 (E) 