The federal government will provide a safe house to a mother and her three-year-old Australian child at risk of being brutally mutilated overseas, according to the child's uncle.
Fairfax Media revealed on Sunday that African-Australian toddler Fatoumata Binta Conteh had been forced into hiding with her mother in Sierra Leone after repeated attempts to force her mother to hand her over to undergo female genital mutilation.
Fatoumata Diarriou Bah fled from her husband's relatives in Guinea and the pair have been in hiding in a remote location more than 1000 kilometres from the nearest Australian embassy.
Ms Bah appealed to the federal government for help after relatives threatened they were coming for her daughter, and because she fears her own family would not prevent any attempts to kidnap the toddler.
Earlier in the week, Fairfax Media passed on Ms Bah's contact details with her permission at the request of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
A government spokesman confirmed officials have made contact with Ms Bah and were providing consular assistance, but would not confirm any details.
Ms Bah's brother Ibrahima Bah, who lives in China, said his sister and niece had been offered emergency accommodation by the Australian government.
But Mr Bah said his sister had been told they would have to wait up to two days before travelling to the new location.
"She is calling for help because she is in need and she still has to wait two more days," he said. "They cannot wait. There are so many threats for the baby. Her husband's people every day say they are coming. She is so very worried and scared."
Fatoumata Binta has never been to Australia but is a citizen by descent. Her father, an African-Australian, was last known to be living in Adelaide.
Ms Bah is herself a victim of female genital mutilation but does not hold Australian citizenship.
There have been calls at the highest political level to help mother and daughter. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said they should be offered assistance to get to Australia immediately.
"This little girl, who is already an Australian citizen, desperately needs our help," Ms Hanson-Young said. "I call on the government to guarantee her safety."
Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek also backed calls for swift action, saying the government should bring them both to Australia "as soon as possible".
Advocates fighting female genital mutilation said Australia must do everything in its power to help the pair, with Melbourne group No FGM Australia rallying support locally.
Co-founder Paula Ferrari said Fatoumata Binta was protected by Australian law and suggested that her mother could seek asylum because she had suffered persecution based on her gender.
Somali-born political activist Leila Abukar said the child needed to protection, but cautioned that the process could take time.
"If the young girl is Australian we just have to protect her," she said. "The first step is making contact with the family. I think we just have to give it a chance."
Fatu Sillah, who was circumcised in Sierra Leone when she was six years old, said authorities needed to take urgent action.
"If this child doesn't get any help they are definitely going to do it," Ms Sillah said. "If you are a Muslim girl living in Sierra Leone or Guinea the circumcision is happening. They don't even need permission from your family."
Female genital cutting or circumcision involves the partial or total removal of external genitals of girls aged as young as a few days for non-medical reasons. A rite of passage in some cultures, the procedure is carried out for various reasons, including to ensure a woman stays a virgin until she is married. It is considered by some to be a religious practice.
DFAT's Consular Services Charter states that advice and support can be provided to Australians overseas in a wide range of cases and that assistance depends on individual circumstances.
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