A bill to outlaw female genital mutilation, forced marriages and enforced sterilisation has been welcomed by the Commission on Domestic Violence.

The Private Member’s Bill was presented by Labour MP Chris Fearne last week. It was described as a “significant step forward in the fight against violence against women and domestic violence in Malta” by the commission.

The offences covered in the Bill can be found in the Council of Europe’s Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence (CAHVIO), known as the Istanbul Convention.

For Malta, the presentation of this Bill was concrete preparation for the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, the commission said.

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