UK woman faces trial for alleged involvement in female genital mutilation

A woman went on trial in a UK court for her alleged involvement in the genital mutilation of a three-year-old girl during a trip to Kenya. Female genital mutilation is illegal not only in the UK but also in many other countries.

It is also considered a criminal offense for UK nationals or permanent residents to perform or assist in performing the procedure outside of the country. The prosecutor, Deanna Heer, informed the jury at the Old Bailey court in central London that Amina Noor, a 39-year-old woman from Harrow in northwest London, handed over the girl so that she could undergo what is commonly referred to as female circumcision during their visit 17 years ago.

Noor, who was born in Somalia and obtained British citizenship at the age of 16, denies the single charge of assisting a non-UK resident in mutilating female genitalia while abroad. The jury was informed that Noor had engaged in discussions about the specific type of female genital mutilation prior to taking the girl to the clinic. "Not only was the procedure carried out upon (the girl)... but the defendant had been discussing precisely the kind of FGM (female genital mutilation) before she took (the girl) to that clinic," stated Heer.


Female genital mutilation is a prevalent practice in certain African, Middle Eastern, and Asian countries. It involves the partial or total removal of a young girl's clitoris and labia. The victim, who is now 21 years old and a British citizen, cannot be identified for legal reasons.

The procedure is often performed under unsterile conditions, posing significant risks and potential complications. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 200 million girls and women worldwide have been subjected to this practice. If found guilty, the maximum penalty for assisting in female genital mutilation is 14 years of imprisonment.