Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'd like to start my contribution to today's debate with a very brief tribute to my colleague and friend the late Carl Sargeant. We all know that Carl was as committed to tackling female genital mutilation as he was to the issue of violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence as a whole. As Julie Morgan has already said, he saw FGM as a very clear example of child abuse as well as an issue of power and control over women and girls. He was passionate about getting people talking about this issue and bringing it out of the shadows, as well as trying to reduce the prevalence of the practice.

He put in place the groups and forums for discussion and decision making in Wales we needed to take FGM seriously and take action in partnership. He established a national strategic leadership group for FGM long before others around the UK had such structures. This allowed projects and initiatives to come forward, like the NSPCC/BAWSO project Voices over Silence, working with young women to make their voices heard on FGM. This project received a UK national midwifery award and is now being used to train professionals across Wales, as well as being taught in schools through the Spectrum programme. 

Carl was also very keen to ensure that FGM be a key strand in what eventually became the Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015. He was adamant that this had to be the case if the legislation was to be reflective of all communities in Wales, and he did this in the full knowledge that some people did not want to hear about it. He never shied away from difficult subjects but tackled them head on in his own inimitable way, with gentleness, warmth and humour. Carl laid all the foundations for the work I'm about to outline on FGM, and it is all very much part of his lasting legacy. 

I also would like to thank Julie Morgan and all of the Assembly Members who brought forward this debate, and I very much welcome the opportunity to set out the Welsh Government's commitment to ending the appalling practice of female genital mutilation. The End FGM European network says that female genital mutilation, or FGM, denies women and girls the rights to physical and mental integrity, to freedom from violence, to the highest possible standard of health, to freedom from discrimination on the basis of gender and to freedom from torture, cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. I think we all very strongly echo that statement. 

FGM is internationally recognised as a violation of women and girls' human rights, directed exclusively at women and girls because of their gender. In 2011, an estimated 170,000 girls and women were living with the consequences of FGM in the UK. It is estimated that there are around 140 victims of FGM every year in Wales. I'm watching the progress of an ongoing trial in Woolwich, only the second case of its kind to be brought in the UK under the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003. Criminal justice is not devolved, as you know, but Welsh Government is working to build a society that will not tolerate violence against women, domestic abuse or sexual violence, and this includes female genital mutilation. We will do this by educating our children and young people about healthy relationships and gender equality, as well as raising awareness across the whole population. This means that not only must professionals be trained to recognise FGM and those at risk, but also that we work with and in communities practising FGM in order to eradicate it altogether.

Support for those affected by FGM is critical. Our Live Fear Free website is a comprehensive resource for victims and families. It provides information on services available and where to go for help. The website supports the work of the helpline in providing advice and signposting. We wholly fund the helpline, which is run under contract by Welsh Women's Aid. People calling the helpline will be referred to appropriate local services, and we continue to fund local authorities and third sector organisations to provide advice and support services to victims and survivors. 

And, of course, a large part of our work is focused on prevention. This takes two main forms: awareness raising amongst the public and education of our children and young people. Eradicating FGM, as a number of Members have highlighted, must be set firmly within the context of ending violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence. Continued publicity campaigns are key in raising awareness, challenging stereotypes and challenging and changing unacceptable attitudes and behaviours.