Ugandan MPs have voted to outlaw female genital mutilation - also known as female circumcision.

According to a BBC News report, anyone convicted of the practice, which involves cutting off a girl's clitoris, will face 10 years in jail, or a life sentence if a victim dies. Rights groups welcomed the move, but urged awareness campaigns to ensure the centuries-old practice stops. Genital mutilation is seen in some countries as a way to ensure virginity and to make a woman suitable for marriage. According to the UN, about three million girls each year in Africa are at risk of genital mutilation, with more than 91m girls and women living with the consequences of the procedure.
Full BBC News report