The Alberta College of Medical Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technologists (the College; ACMDTT) has updated our Standards of Practice to better protect the public from the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).

The Health Professions (Protecting Women and Girls) Amendment Act, formerly known as Bill 10, came into effect on May 31, 2022. This amendment requires health professional regulatory colleges in Alberta, including the ACMDTT, to adopt standards of practice that set out registrant expectations regarding FGM.

Female genital mutilation (FGM) or female circumcision involves injury to or partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. Such procedure / practice is classified as aggravated assault under the Criminal Code of Canada.

In response to this legislative requirement, the College reviewed and enhanced its current practice standards to ensure clear FGM practice expectations.

As a result, the following standards of practice revisions were made, and registrants should take note that Standard 2.1 now includes:

• An amended indicator, (f), that reinforces the need for registrants to report FGM.
• A new indicator, (g), which addresses the need for ACMDTT registrants to not procure/facilitate FGM.
• Glossary term clarifications and additions to address FGM and other mandatory reporting requirements.

College Position

The College’s primary mandate is to protect the public interest. In the case of FGM, the College is committed to protecting women and girls who are subject to such inhumane and traumatic procedures, which have been known to have life-long adverse health consequences.

Registrants should note that by enacting these amendments, the College is committed to adhering to Alberta health professional regulatory requirements to:

• Ensure that those registrants who are convicted of procuring, performing, offering, or facilitating female genital mutilation in Alberta will be removed from practice.
• Prohibit individuals who are convicted of this crime in another province or country from practicing in Alberta.
• Ensure that its standards of practice support the physical and mental health and well-being of women and girls who may be subject to or may have been subjected to female genital mutilation.

If you believe you or someone you know is at risk of undergoing FGM, please seek assistance through your local police or child protective services.

In 2023 alone, there are 4.32 million girls around the world who are at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation
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Around 1 in 4 girls and women, or 52 million worldwide, experienced female genital mutilation performed by health personnel, pointing to an alarming trend in the medicalization of female genital mutilation

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“Since 1997, Canada’s Criminal Code has explicitly recognized the practice as a form of aggravated assault. It is illegal, and any individual who performs or helps with the practice, including those who take a child abroad for the practice, can be criminally charged.”

Prime Minister Trudeau on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation in 2022