U.N.: Ban Female Genital Mutilation

In a historic vote Tuesday, the U.N. General Assembly’s human-rights committee unanimously voted for a global ban on female genital mutilation (FGM). The resolution calls on the U.N.’s 193 member states to protect women and girls “from this form of violence,” arguing that FGM is a serious threat to their psychological, sexual, and reproductive health. In 2010, the U.N. said that about 70 million women and girls around the world were FGM victims. The resolution is almost certain to pass when it is taken up by the full Assembly in the second half of December.