A/RES/73/149 Intensifying global efforts for the elimination of female genital mutilation Elimination of Violence against Women, 20 the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, 13 the Beijing Platform for Action 11 and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, entitled “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace for the twenty-first century”,12 and of the special session of the General Assembly on children; 21 2. Calls upon States to place a stronger focus on the development and implementation of comprehensive prevention strategies, including the intens ification of educational campaigns, awareness-raising and formal and non-formal education and training in order to promote the direct engagement of girls and boys, women and men and to ensure that all key actors, including government officials, law enforcement and judicial personnel, immigration officials, parliamentarians , healthcare providers, practitioners, civil society, the private sector, community and religious leaders, teachers, employers, media professionals and those directly working with girls, as well as parents, legal guardians, families and communities, work to eliminate attitudes and harmful practices, in particular female genital mutilation, that negatively affect women and girls, and emphasizes the importance of adopting a non stigmatization approach in all prevention interventions; 3. Also calls upon States to develop information and awareness-raising campaigns and programmes to systematically reach and engage the general public, especially relevant professionals, in particular schoolteachers, families, communities, civil society representatives, including women’s and girl-led organizations and religious and traditional leaders, including through the traditional and non -traditional media, featuring television and radio discussions and infor mation and communications technology, about the harmful effects of female genital mutilation and the fact that this practice still exists and about national and international levels of support for the elimination of female genital mutilation, with a view t o helping to change existing negative social norms, attitudes and behaviours that condone and justify gender inequality, all forms of violence against women and girls and harmful practices, including female genital mutilation; 4. Further calls upon States to provide the necessary resources to strengthen advocacy and awareness-raising programmes, to mobilize girls and women and boys and men to take an active part in developing preventive and elimination programmes to address harmful practices, especially female genital mutilation, to engage families, local community and religious leaders, educational institutions, the media and civil society and to provide increased financial support to efforts at all levels to end discriminatory social norms and practices, and calls upon the international community to support States in these efforts; 5. Urges States to complement punitive measures with awareness-raising and educational activities designed to promote a process of consensus towards the elimination of female genital mutilation, and further urges States to protect and support women and girls who have been subjected to female genital mutilation and those who are at risk in order to assist them, including by developing social, legal and psychological support services and care and appropriate remedies, and to ensure access to health-care services, including for sexual and reproductive health, in order to improve their health and well-being; 6. Also urges States to condemn all harmful practices that affect women and girls, in particular female genital mutilation, whether committed within or outside a medical institution, to take all necessary measures, including through educational __________________ 20 21 4/7 Resolution 48/104. Resolution S-27/2, annex. 18-22201