Is FGM/C Illegal in Australia? 2026 Legal Position and Support Services
Yes — FGM/C is illegal across Australia in 2026, including taking or sending someone overseas for it, or having someone else organise that. What the law covers, and where help is available.
Yes. Female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) is illegal in Australia, and so is taking or sending a person to another country to have it performed on them, or having someone else organise that taking or sending. That position is set out on the Australian Department of Home Affairs' Settle in Australia – Health and Wellbeing page, current as at July 2026.
What counts as FGM/C under Australian law?
FGM/C is described broadly, not narrowly. It covers any procedure that involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or that causes other injury to the female genital organs, when it is done for non-medical reasons.
That wording matters in two ways. First, it is not limited to one named operation or one traditional form — the test is what the procedure does to the body, not what it is called locally. Second, the description attaches to injury as well as removal, so a procedure does not have to be extensive to fall inside it. The definition turns on the absence of a medical reason; clinical care provided by registered practitioners sits outside that description.
Is performing FGM/C the only thing the law covers?
No. Three separate kinds of conduct are identified as illegal:
- performing FGM/C itself;
- taking or sending a person to another country to have FGM/C performed on them;
- having someone else organise the taking or sending of a person overseas.
So the offending conduct is not only the act of cutting. The travel and the arrangements around it carry the same legal status.
Can a child be taken overseas for FGM/C?
Taking or sending someone to another country so that FGM/C can be performed on them is illegal in itself. The legal problem begins with the removal, not with anyone arriving back for medical treatment afterwards.
What if a relative or third party makes the arrangements?
Having someone else organise this is also illegal. Asking another person to arrange the taking or sending of a person overseas does not put the conduct outside the law, because having someone else organise that is listed alongside taking and sending.
What if the overseas trip is described as a holiday?
The question is why the person is being taken or sent. The Home Affairs page makes taking or sending a person to another country to have FGM/C performed on them illegal in itself, without making the procedure the only relevant conduct.
How does FGM/C affect a girl's or woman's health?
FGM/C can have serious and long-lasting consequences. Women and girls arriving in Australia may already be living with health problems because of the practice, which is why the health system — not only the criminal law — is part of the picture. Some people arrive with symptoms they have never had assessed, and some are managing complications without knowing that care exists locally.
Where can affected women and girls get help in Australia?
Specialist female reproductive rights services are available in all states and territories. For further information and awareness material, the Home Affairs page points to the National Education Toolkit for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Awareness (NETFA).
Beyond that specialist layer, care usually starts in general practice. A general practitioner (GP) assesses symptoms and refers patients to a specialist where needed — specialists generally require a referral rather than a direct booking. Community health centres, which are funded by local government, run most women's health programs along with child health checks, vaccination, health education and counselling, and they focus on the more vulnerable members of the community. Anyone facing a serious medical emergency should call Triple Zero (000) for ambulance, police or fire services.
This article is general information only, written for readers settling in Australia; it is not advice about any one person's circumstances, and specific questions about legal exposure or treatment options should be checked against official sources and qualified professionals.
Does Medicare help cover the cost of health care in Australia?
It can. Medicare is a federal government service that contributes to the cost of health care and medicines, including free public hospital care, help with the cost of out-of-hospital care, and subsidised medicines.
In most cases a patient pays for care up front and claims part of the payment back. Some GPs bulk bill, meaning they bill Medicare directly and the patient pays nothing for that consultation. Migrants, refugees and humanitarian entrants generally have immediate access to health care under Medicare depending on their visa, while some temporary migrants may need private health insurance instead. Enrolment normally means attending a Medicare Service Centre about seven to 10 days after arrival with a passport or travel documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FGM/C illegal in every state and territory?
Yes. The Department of Home Affairs states without qualification that the practice of FGM/C is illegal in Australia, rather than limiting it to one jurisdiction. States and territories run their own health systems, and specialist female reproductive rights services operate in all of them.
Does it matter that FGM/C is traditional in our community?
Custom is not a medical reason. The definition covers these procedures because they are done for non-medical reasons, so cultural or family tradition does not take a procedure outside it.
Can someone be charged even if they did not perform the procedure?
Having someone else organise the taking or sending of a person overseas is listed as illegal alongside performing FGM/C and taking or sending the person, so a person who arranges that overseas travel rather than performs the procedure is not outside the law.
Can a girl who has already undergone FGM/C get treatment in Australia?
Yes. The Home Affairs page records that women and girls arriving may have health problems because of the practice, and every state and territory has specialist female reproductive rights services. Care usually begins with a GP, who can refer to a specialist.
Will Medicare alone cover the full cost of care?
Not necessarily. Medicare contributes to out-of-hospital care, subsidised medicines and public hospital care, but patients commonly pay first and claim part back, and some visa holders need private health insurance instead. Private health insurance can also cover items Medicare excludes, such as dental care, most optical care and ambulance transport.