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Midwife made an MBE for tackling FGM

Adviser to the Royal College of Midwives is honoured at Buckingham Palace

An adviser at the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has been made an MBE for her work in preventing female genital mutilation (FGM).

Janet Fyle

Professional policy adviser Janet Fyle, recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list last year, was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire at Buckingham Palace today (Thursday).

The midwife has worked to eradicate FGM in the UK. In 2014, she co-authored a report which has influenced how midwives and other healthcare professionals view FGM.

Tackling FGM in the UK: Intercollegiate recommendations for identifying, recording and reporting, includes suggestions for school nurses on how to encourage girls from communities that practise FGM to report harm.

Ms Fyle said: ‘I am greatly pleased with this honour, but it is also really important for me to acknowledge the work of my colleagues, as there were many people behind the scenes who made all of this possible.

‘In particular, I wish to thank the RCM for sharing my vision and providing me with the support to carry out this work.'

RCM chief executive Cathy Warwick said: ‘Women who have suffered and survived FGM are deeply grateful to Janet for her work.

‘In the midwifery profession, she is hugely respected for her courage in taking this very difficult issue forward, and bringing it to the attention of those who may have been unaware that this heinous practice existed in the UK.’

Read the FGM report here