122 GENDER PERSPECTIVES ON TORTURE: Law and Practice 4. Conclusion The need to use a gender lens when implementing the international human rights framework, in particular the torture framework, is clearly illustrated when examining FGM in a migration context. The intersecting realities of gender, race, legal status, and access to services provide a com­ plex myriad of issues that need to be addressed to preserve the human rights of women and girls affected by FGM. This paper identified a number of critical issues that need to be taken into account when putting the framework into practice. The many issues we highlighted underline the need for a gender-sensitive approach when applying the torture framework. The need for such a framework cannot be overemphasized: It sets out clear guidance to preserve women and girls from torture and ill-treatment, which includes FGM.