The Scottish Government will invest £219,441 in 2015/16 into services to combat FGM, first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
The money will fund a range of interventions focused on areas such as community engagement and development, raising awareness, training and support services. How the funding will be divided between the initiatives will be detailed in the future.
Ms Sturgeon said: 'FGM is an unacceptable and illegal practice. It is a form of violence against women and a violation of the human rights of women and girls. It has no place in the Scotland we all want to live in. Raising awareness and promoting understanding is vital in addressing the complex issues of FGM. There is excellent work being done across Scotland to raise awareness and promote understanding of the complex issues of FGM.'
The proposals were announced at an International Woman's Day event in Glasgow. The Scottish government recently invested £70,000 to fund the creation of awareness raising materials as well as research into how widespread the issue is.
Ms Sturgeon also said that the government has set up a multi-agency FGM Short Life Working Group which will produce a final report later this year. This will make recommendations to inform a national plan for a consistent multi-agency approach to eliminate FGM.
Ms Sturgeon added: 'I'm pleased that this new funding will help to provide people from communities affected by FGM with a platform to have their voices heard on ending this practice in Scotland. I am determined that those who commit FGM abuse will be held to account, and we will work with all our partners and with communities to ensure that we can protect those at risk.'