for coherence on principles and policies both outside and inside the EU, including with respect to supporting a ban on female genital mutilation as a human rights violation; notes the recent adoption of a new set of guidelines on the matter and expects the Commission to present the results of its implementation to Parliament; 70. Takes account of the new European Commission's gender equality strategy’s referring specifically to the issue of female genital mutilation; reiterates the need for coherence on EU internal and external policies regarding this particular issue; urges the European Commission and the EU Member States to address the issue of female genital mutilation in the framework of political and policy dialogues with partner countries and stakeholders relevant to this sensitive issue in the national context, using a participatory approach and involving affected communities; calls on the Commission, the Council and the Member States to activate all political and institutional means in order to support initiatives aiming at the adoption as soon as possible of a resolution by the UNGA calling for a worldwide moratorium on female genital mutilation; 71. Considers that violence against women is also expressed psychologically; observes that in the field of work women remain underpaid in comparison with men and that more of them are employed in precarious or part-time jobs; stresses therefore that the role of the Commission and Member States in this field, both within and outside the European Union, cannot be confined to combating violence in the narrow sense, given the need to combat violence against women in all its forms – physical, psychological, social and economic – and that priority should be assigned to education free of gender bias for boys and girls from the earliest age and to combating gender stereotypes; 72. Underlines the importance of comprehensive implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions 1325, 1820, 888 and 1889 calling for the participation of women in all phases and at all levels of conflict resolution and the protection of women and girls from sexual violence and discrimination; calls on Member States that do not yet have a National Action Plan for the implementation of the UNSCR 1325 to adopt one as a matter of urgency; strongly condemns rape used as an instrument of war and the recurrent mass rapes occurring in DR Congo; requests full disclosure on the incapacity of the MONUSCO peacekeeping force to put a stop to mass rapes; urges the EU HR/VP, through EUSEC and EUPOL in DRC, to conduct an enquiry and report to the EP on all Congolese and international companies or entities involved in the extractive industries in DRC which pay armed groups and security personnel involved in such mass rapes and other systematic crimes against civilians; 73. Calls on the HR/VP to increase the number of staff working on gender issues in external action and to create dedicated structures; recognises the progress made in CSDP in both missions and staff training; 74. Expresses its deep concern about the entrenched gender-based discrimination and domestic violence in several countries, and points out that women living in rural areas are a particularly vulnerable group; similarly, is greatly concerned about cases of sexual violence and high rates of rape of women and girls in South Africa, investigations often being inadequate and obstructed by gender bias, with victims facing numerous obstacles in accessing healthcare and delays in the provision of medical treatment; strongly condemns violence against women and girls as a chronic problem in Guatemala and Mexico; 75. Is deeply concerned about the situation of women and girls in Iran, DRC, Afghanistan; condemns brutal violations of womens’ rights in DRC, urges the international community to significantly increase funds aimed at efforts to protect women from rape, and stresses that major international attention must be given as a matter of urgency to the situation of women and girls in the DRC;