# Austria Launches FGM Protection Letter October 15, 2026 at 02:10 PM > Ministers Claudia Bauer and Eva-Maria Holzleitner introduce a legal and health guide to protect 11,000 women and girls from mutilation. On Thursday, October 15, 2026, Integration Minister **Claudia Bauer** and Women's Minister **Eva-Maria Holzleitner** introduced an official protection letter against female genital mutilation. This new document outlines the legal situation and health risks in **Austria**. The letter details that genital mutilation is strictly prohibited and carries a prison sentence of up to 15 years. These legal penalties apply to offenses committed abroad. Modeled after German and Swiss versions, the guide is available online and in clinics. Approximately 11,000 women and girls in Austria are affected by this practice. **FGM-C coordination office** head **Hilde Wolf** noted the document will be distributed to authorities and schools to provide critical information on the severe health consequences. [#Austria]() #FGM #WomenRights [#PublicHealth]() #LegalProtection ## Related news ## [Sebastian Kurz Rules Out Return to Politics]() October 15, 2026 at 04:40 PM ## [Austria Plans Adult Vaccinations in Pharmacies]() October 13, 2026 at 01:05 PM ## [Austria Secures 100,000 Extra Flu Vaccine Doses]() October 10, 2026 at 09:20 AM ## [Innsbruck Reports Rise in Legionella Infections]() October 7, 2026 at 07:04 PM ## [Asbestos Found Near 22 Austrian School Sites]() September 23, 2026 at 04:30 PM